Europe scrambles to help Ukraine

RUSSIAN BARRAGE

TO KEEP THE HEAT AND LIGHTS ON

KYIV: European officials are scrambling to help Ukraine stay warm and keep functioning through the bitter winter months, pledging on Friday to send more support that will mitigate Russia’s efforts to turn off the heat and lights.

Nine months after Russia invaded its neighbour, the Kremlin’s forces have zeroed in on Ukraine’s power grid and other critical civilian infrastructure in a bid to tighten the screw on Kyiv. Officials estimate that around 50% of Ukraine’s energy facilities have been damaged in the recent strikes.

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said on Friday Russia is “weaponising” winter and plunging Ukraine’s civilian population into hardship.

British foreign secretary James Cleverly, arriving on Friby day in Kyiv for an unannounced visit, said a promised air-defence package, which Britain valued at 50 million pounds ($60 million), would help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s bombardments.

“Words are not enough. Words won’t keep the lights on this winter. Words won’t defend against Russian missiles,” Cleverly said in a tweet about the military aid.

The package includes radar and other technology to counter the Iran-supplied exploding drones that Russia has used against Ukrainian targets, especially the power grid. It comes on top of a delivery of more than 1,000 anti-air missiles that Britain announced earlier this month.

Russian officials have claimed they are hitting legitimate targets. But the UN high commissioner for Human Rights on Friday expressed his shock at the depth of civilian suffering caused

the bombing, amid broader allegations of abuses.

“Millions are being plunged into extreme hardship and appalling conditions of life by these strikes,” Volker Türk said in a statement on Friday. “Taken as a whole, this raises serious problems under international humanitarian law, which requires a concrete and direct military advantage for each object attacked.”

I no longer had the strength to push through (European talks with Vladimir Putin before his invasion of Ukraine) because, after all, everyone knew: ‘she’s leaving in autumn’ ANGELA MERKEL, Ex-german leader

Putin meets mothers President Vladimir Putin on Friday met the mothers of soldiers who had been fighting in Ukraine, telling them that he and the entire Russian leadership shared their suffering.

“I would like you to know that, that I personally, and the whole leadership of the country - we share your pain,” Putin said. The war in Ukraine has killed or wounded tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides.