Ukraine actively defends its southern borders and an eventual occupation of Mykolaiv and Odessa regions by the Russian army is impossible, said the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak. According to him, Russia can attack the Republic of Moldova only if it takes the southern regions under control. But the Ukrainian army will not allow something like this. The Ukrainian official noted that after Russia started to attack strategic civilian infrastructure, leaving the people in the cold and darkness, Kyiv expects that the whole international community, including the Republic of Moldova, will come with a common anti-Russia message, IPN reports.
The adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said that after the failure suffered in Kharkov region, Russia attacked a number of civilian infrastructure facilities, electricity and thermal power stations. The Ukrainian authorities are making effort to urgently restore the supply of electricity and heat to the afflicted localities.
“We realized and anticipated these risks. We are endeavoring to diversify the energy resources so as to supply the localities with heat and electricity. We organized a number of operational groups that are ready to repair the damaged power lines. We ensure the protection of thermal power and power stations that were affected. Special concrete walls are being built. We intensified discussions with the partners from Europe and the U.S., asking them to provide use with modern antimissile systems. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station is used by Russia to hamper southern Ukraine’s access to energy resources and to redirect electrical energy to Crimea. They use the station as a means of blackmail against Europe, threatening with an eventual nuclear catastrophe,” Mykhailo Podolyak stated in an interview with Vocea Basarabiei TV.
According to the Ukrainian official, the Republic of Moldova is not in danger as long as the Russian army does not have control over Mykolaiv and Odessa regions. The Republic of Moldova can bank on Ukraine in this regard, while Kyiv expects Chisinau to have tougher rhetoric following Russia’s barbarous attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“The war is unpredictable but we now realize what Russia wants and does and want resources it has. We will definitely not allow it to enter Mykolaiv and Odessa, to control the aquatic area around these regions. We will not allow landing over the sea in the criminal enclave Transnistria. The Republic of Moldova can bank on us. We would like Moldova to have a tougher stance on what Russia does in Ukraine. Russia attacks peaceful people. For us, it is important for a common international position to exist on this subject so that it is known that this type of war is disgusting and Russia’s reputation is crushed. From military viewpoint, we actively defend our southern borders. This is important for us and for our partners Romania, the Republic of Moldova,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.
The southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih faced rising water levels in the Inhulets River on Wednesday after Russia fired cruise missiles at hydraulic structures. This caused water level of the Inhulets River to increase, threatening the city.
