Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that intelligence reports suggest Russia is preparing for a large-scale attack. Following a meeting to assess the situation across various regions, he instructed military and energy officials to develop additional protective measures in response to this information.
During the night of February 16, Russian forces reportedly launched missiles targeting Ukrainian energy facilities. Zelensky noted that despite upcoming diplomatic discussions in Geneva involving three parties, the Russian military appears focused solely on continuing its offensive against Ukraine. He emphasized that each missile fired by Russia undermines efforts for peace and reiterated the need for sustained pressure on Russia, coupled with clear security guarantees for Ukraine, to effectively conclude the conflict.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the attacks included four Zircon anti-ship missiles, an Iskander-M ballistic missile, an X-31P guided air-to-surface missile, and 62 strike drones. The state energy company, Ukrenergo, reported that as of the morning of February 16, consumers in the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Odesa regions were without power due to the strikes.
The Security Service of Ukraine has classified these attacks on energy infrastructure as crimes against humanity. Since the beginning of the current heating season, the agency has documented at least 256 aerial assaults by Russia targeting energy facilities and heating systems in Ukraine.
Furthermore, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the Russian strikes, which disrupt heating supplies amid severe winter conditions, as acts of genocide. In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russia has not initiated attacks on civilian infrastructure, asserting that Ukraine was the first to target Russian energy facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered military and energy officials to enhance protective measures in light of potential large-scale Russian strikes. Recent attacks have targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to widespread power outages and prompting Ukrainian authorities to classify these actions as crimes against humanity.