Zelenskiy said Russia had targeted gas facilities securing EU supplies, Reuters
KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector had targeted gas facilities critical for supplies to the European Union.
Russia continues to supply gas to the EU via Ukraine under a transit agreement with Russia’s Gazprom (MCX:) that is set to expire in December. Ukraine’s energy minister said last month that Kiev had no plans to extend or replace an agreement with Moscow that pays Ukraine to export gas to the EU.
“The main targets are the energy sector, various facilities within the industry, electricity and gas transportation facilities, especially gas facilities that are important to ensure safe deliveries to the European Union,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
Zelenskyy, who is campaigning for supplies of defensive weapons systems from international partners, said Ukrainian forces had shot down some of the 34 Russian missiles of various types.
He did not specify which specific facility was targeted or whether the missile hit that target.
Ukrainian state oil and gas company Naftogaz said the Russian attack on its facilities caused no casualties and did not affect supplies to Ukrainian consumers and customers.
Maksim Kozytsky, the governor of the Lviv region bordering Poland, said his region had been hit by cruise missiles and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, but that Ukrainian forces had shot down three missiles.
He said two important energy infrastructure facilities in the Stryi and Chervonohrad regions were damaged and caught fire, but emergency services quickly extinguished the fire.
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Zelenskiy said Ukraine needs at least seven defense systems, repeating previous claims about defensive missiles, particularly the Patriot system.
“The trajectory of the missile and the nature of the attack were calculated in such a way as to make it as difficult as possible for Russian terrorists to operate our air defense systems,” he said. “Every rocket shot down today is a significant result.”
