Zelenskyy: Russia attacked Ukraine's energy sector after Putin's order to stop targeting it

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported that Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's energy sector on the night of 18-19 March, despite Russian leader Vladimir Putin's alleged order to halt such strikes for 30 days.

Source: Zelenskyy in a statement to the Finnish media

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Even after Putin's conversation with US President Donald Trump, during which he claimed to have ordered a halt to targeting Ukrainian energy facilities, 150 drones were launched overnight, including those aimed at energy facilities."

Details: Zelenskyy noted that the Russians had targeted transport assets, hospitals and ordinary urban infrastructure. "Putin's words are very different from reality. That's why we need defence support, support for our air defence, we need to exert pressure on Russia for the sake of security and saving lives," the Ukrainian president said.

Previously:

• On 18 March, the Kremlin stated that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had endorsed a proposal by US President Donald Trump for Ukraine and Russia to mutually refrain from striking energy infrastructure for 30 days, issuing the relevant order to the Russian military.
• Following the conversation between Putin and Trump, on the night of 18-19 March, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, four S-300 anti-aircraft surface-to-surface missiles, 145 Shahed loitering munitions, and various types of decoy drones. Ukrainian air defence units successfully downed 72 of the loitering munitions, while 45 Russian drones targeted Kyiv Oblast.
• Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's state-run railway operator, reported that on the morning of 19 March, Russian forces attacked the railway power system in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones. The strike caused a fire and left some areas cut off from the power grid.

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