Photo: OP
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that the large-scale shelling of Ukrainian cities by Russia is Vladimir Putin’s response to foreign leaders’ contacts with him. Sibiga wrote about this on the social networking site X.
“Russia has carried out one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles against peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, and critical infrastructure. This is a real response from the war criminal Putin to all those who have been calling and visiting him lately. We need peace through strength, not appeasement,” the head of Ukrainian diplomacy stressed.
Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said that Russian troops had targeted electricity generation and transmission facilities across Ukraine during the attack.
Scholz’s conversation with Putin under fire
The attack took place against the backdrop of international attempts to engage in dialogue with the Kremlin. On 15 November, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Putin for the first time in almost two years. The conversation drew criticism from many politicians, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stressed that such contacts only strengthen the Kremlin’s confidence in the possibility of easing its international isolation.
The Russian side continues to target civilians and critical infrastructure in an attempt to put pressure on Ukraine and its international partners. Kyiv calls for stronger sanctions and military assistance to combat Russian aggression.
