Kremlin claims it is not targeting Ukraine's energy facilities as agreed
The Kremlin has stated that the order from Vladimir Putin for Russian troops to temporarily halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure "remains in force and is being observed".
Source: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov at a briefing on 21 March, as cited by Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS
Quote: "The commander-in-chief’s order remains in effect, and the Russian armed forces are currently refraining from striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in accordance with the agreement reached between the US and Russia."
Details: Peskov emphasised that the agreement preventing Moscow and Kyiv from targeting certain facilities for 30 days currently applies only to energy infrastructure, saying, "That is what was agreed upon".
Background:
- From the evening of 20 March, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 214 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various types of decoy drones; 114 drones were destroyed, while 81 disappeared from radar.
- On the same evening, the Russians launched strike drones against Odesa, with explosions heard in the city and large fires breaking out. There are reports of casualties. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported local emergency power outages in Odesa’s Prymorskyi, Peresyp and Kyiv districts.
- The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Russia shelled the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast with artillery to discredit Ukraine, emphasising that the defence forces were not involved.
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