Russia justifies strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector at −25°C: Lavrov’s cynical statement
6 February 01:33
Russia is trying to publicly justify the massive strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which were carried out during a period of record cold weather. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow allegedly acted “in response” and does not consider itself the party that first attacked civilian energy facilities. Lavrov said this in an interview with Russian propaganda media, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“We didn’t start it”: the Kremlin’s version
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry cynically stated that Russia allegedly did not initiate attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but only “responded” to the actions of the Ukrainian side.
“We never started these actions. It was the Ukrainians who were the first to strike energy and other civilian facilities — residential buildings, shops, hospitals,” Lavrov said.
He also mentioned the so-called “energy truce,” accusing Ukraine of violating it, and cited “numerous examples of goodwill on the part of Russia.”
“Clear conscience”: a new level of cynicism
According to Lavrov, the Russian leadership has a “clear conscience” after striking Ukrainian thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants in the midst of severe frosts.
“Our conscience is clear, but our patience is not unlimited. You have to understand the Russian character: measure seven times, cut once,” he said.
These words were spoken against the backdrop of the humanitarian consequences of the attacks, when hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were left without heat at temperatures as low as −25°C.
The Kremlin acknowledged deliberate strikes on energy facilities
On the eve of Lavrov’s statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov effectively confirmed that the Russian army is deliberately targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
According to him, Moscow considers energy facilities to be “associated with the military-industrial complex,” which, in the Kremlin’s opinion, allegedly makes them a legitimate target.
The largest attack since the beginning of the year
On the night of February 3, Russia carried out its most massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine since the beginning of the year, using 521 weapons, including a record number of ballistic missiles.
The main targets were energy infrastructure facilities — thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and other cities.
As a result of the strikes:
- more than 1,100 buildings in Kyiv were left without heat;
- in Kharkiv — almost 900 buildings;
- nighttime temperatures in cities dropped to −25°C.
Only after this did Ukraine strike military targets on Russian territory, particularly in the Rostov-on-Don and Belgorod regions.
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