White House condemns Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian water and power infrastructure

The White House on Monday condemned Moscow’s attacks on critical infrastructure after Russian forces shelled power and water plants in Kharkiv and Donetsk as troops pulled back in the face of a rapid Ukrainian advance.

Ukraine’s military said its soldiers had freed more than 20 towns and cities in 24 hours during the dramatic counteroffensive.

But it provoked a barrage or air and artillery strikes, knocking out power and water in key locations.

‘We condemn Russia’s airstrikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure … leaving people in several cities without power and clean water,’ White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One.

‘We will continue to support Ukraine as it defends itself and hold Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine.’

She was speaking after Ukrainian troops enjoyed their most successful 24 hours in months of fighting.

After movement in the conflict had all but stalled, they regained momentum, capturing a swath of territory held by Russia since they invaded.

Such was their progress that the Russian Defence Ministry said troops would be pulled from two areas to regroup in the eastern region of Donetsk, which it has held since 2014. 

At the same time, officials said they were uncovering fresh evidence of atrocities as they reclaimed settlements and they condemned strikes on critical infrastructure.

On Sunday night, President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was a ‘total blackout’ in the regions of Kharkiv and Donetsk.

‘[Russian Federation] terrorists remain terrorists and attack critical infrastructure,’ he tweeted. 

‘No military facilities, the goal is to deprive people of light and heat.’

A missile strike on a power station on Sunday night caused a major fire, plunging Kharkiv into darkness.

Officials said another missile hit a residential building at about midnight, part of a fit of pique triggered by Russia’s territorial losses..

In all they said three people had been killed. 

‘It’s dangerous to live in Kharkiv, every day is dangerous. It’s dangerous during the day and night,’ Kateryna Protsenko, a 29-year-old veterinarian living across the street from the apartment building, told the Associated Press.

‘The nights are sleepless, but anyway you continue to live because you have a family and you need to survive and work somehow.’

The city’s mayor said more strikes followed on Monday.

‘Yesterday evening situation repeats again. Due to the shelling, critical infrastructure was put out of operation, resulting in the loss of power and water supply in Kharkiv,’ Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram.  

Meanwhile, in the south of Ukraine, a second counter-attack near the city of Kherson was making steady progress with Nataliya Humenyuk – spokesman for the southern military command – saying some Russian troops were trying to negotiate their surrender this morning.

Humenyuk said the soldiers are among those stranded on the west bank of the Dnipro River. They have no escape route after Ukraine used US HIMARS missiles to destroy all of the main crossing points.

A report by British intelligence on Monday morning said: ‘In the face of Ukrainian advances, Russia has likely ordered the withdrawal of its troops from the entirety of occupied Kharkiv [region].

‘Isolated pockets of resistance remain in this sector, but since Wednesday, Ukraine has recaptured territory at least twice the size of Greater London. 

‘In the south, near Kherson, Russia is likely struggling to bring sufficient reserves forward across the Dnipro River to the front line. 

‘An improvised floating bridge Russia started over two weeks ago remains incomplete; Ukrainian long-range artillery is now probably hitting crossings of the Dnipro so frequently that Russia cannot carry out repairs to damaged road bridges.

‘The rapid Ukrainian successes have significant implications for Russia’s overall operational design. The majority of the force in Ukraine is highly likely being forced to prioritise emergency defensive actions.

‘The already limited trust deployed troops have in Russia’s senior military leadership is likely to deteriorate further.’ 

Russia’s defence ministry has attempted to play down the defeat as a ‘regrouping’ of troops from the cities of Balakliya and Izyum to nearby Donetsk in order to ‘boost efforts in the area’.