Kiev again violated US-backed energy ceasefire – Moscow (VIDEO)
The Ukrainian military has attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure in three separate regions, again violating a US-mediated moratorium on such strikes, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has claimed.
The incidents, recorded over the past 24 hours, took place in Belgorod, Kursk and Saratov Regions of Russia, the Friday statement said. On Thursday, Ukrainian artillery struck an element of the Russian power grid in Belgorod Region, disrupting the power supply in Shchebekino near the international border, the report said.
A separate incident involved HIMARS artillery strikes on the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Region, where “the energy site was de facto destroyed.” The ministry had previously accused Kiev of damaging the facility with planted explosive charges as its forces were retreating from the area.
The ministry concluded that “all previous public statements of the Kiev regime about its purported intention to suspend attacks against Russian civilian energy infrastructure are just a smokescreen.” It believes that Ukraine wants to recover its military compatibility with the help of European backers while the US pushes for a complete truce with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered that attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure stop on March 18, following a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump. The Kremlin says it intends to maintain the 30-day partial ceasefire as a gesture of goodwill to Washington, even if Kiev fails to honor it. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that Moscow reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement.
