(Bloomberg) -- Explosions were heard early Monday in Kyiv as the city government said Iranian drones further damaged the capital’s critical infrastructure. That followed a warning by an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Russia could sharply escalate the war in a winter offensive driven by mass infantry and that Western allies needed to be prepared.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend a 10-nation meeting in Latvia on Monday to discuss further air-defense support for Ukraine, according to his office. Ukraine is repairing key infrastructure after Russian missile strikes on Friday, the ninth major barrage since early October.
Russia has launched over 4,000 missiles at Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion, Zelenskiy said on Saturday. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin met with military commanders and asked for “proposals” on the next steps in the war.
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Key Developments
- Sunak to Announce New Artillery Support for Ukraine on Monday
- Europe’s $1 Trillion Energy Bill Only Marks Start of the Crisis
- Putin’s Ambitions Put Finland’s Troops and Tanks Back In Vogue
On the Ground
Ukrainian troops intercepted 18 out of 23 drones launched by Russia overnight at Kyiv, news agency Ukrinform said, citing the city’s military authorities. Troops in Ukraine also repelled assaults near 15 settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east over the past day, according to a Facebook post from the general staff.
(All times CET)
Ukraine Sees “Significant” Electricity Shortages (11:30 a.m.)
Ukraine has been facing a “significant” shortage of electricity since Sunday, as low temperatures have raised pressure on the power grid, which is already under strain from Russian attacks according to the CEO of its operator NPC Ukrenergo Volodymyr Kudrytskyi.
Ukraine faced another drone attack from Russia early in the morning on Monday, following a large-scale missile attack last week that further damaged the nation’s infrastructure, which affected electricity, heating and water supplies all over the country.
But Russia failed to destroy the grid and Ukraine’s power engineers are still able to fix damages relatively quickly, Kudrytskyi said. “One, two days and we will be able to further increase power output available for our consumers,” he said in an interview late Sunday.
Ukrainian Energy Is Affected by Drone Hits, Ukrenergo Says (11:30 a.m.)
The Ukrainian energy system is in a difficult condition after Russian drones have been attacking grid infrastructure across the country, the energy company Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
Most problems with power supply were in the country’s central and eastern regions as result of some drones hitting their targets and Russian shelling near the front line. Despite the damage, the Ukrainian energy system continues to function at a stable frequency and in sync with the European continental grid.
Germany’s Rheinmetall Expands Ammunition Output (11:30 a.m.)
German defense contractor Rheinmetall AG is expanding ammunition production to ease supply bottlenecks created by the government’s support for Ukraine.
The decision to invest more than €10 million ($10.6 million) in a new production line in Unterluess near Hamburg is the latest sign that Russia’s war on Ukraine is reshaping Europe’s defense industry. The facility is expected to produce ammunition for the 30 “Gepard” self-propelled, anti-aircraft guns that Germany agreed to supply to Ukraine’s armed forces.
Austria Probes Suspected Russian Spy (11:30 a.m.)
Austrian authorities are investigating the son of a former Russian secret-service official for suspected espionage.
The intelligence service in Vienna say the 39-year-old Greek citizen met foreign officials several times, passing on information on Austrian foreign and security policy, as well as its potential reaction to Russia’s war on Ukraine. They seized surveillance equipment and devices used to detect wire-tapping, as well as phones, tablets and laptops, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
New Strikes Further Damage Kyiv’s Crucial Infrastructure (7:35 a.m.)
Russian drone attacks on Monday morning further damaged crucial infrastructure of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, according to local mayor Vitali Klitschko. He didn’t elaborate on the kind of infrastructure, saying that maintenance workers are already trying to stabilize the situation with electricity supplies and heating.
Sirens first blared at 2 a.m. local time, continuing for hours in a city still confronting power and water shortages, with temperatures below zero.
Ukraine Allies to Discuss More Aid on Air Defense (11:30 p.m.)
The leaders of the UK, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway will discuss further air defense support for Ukraine at a meeting in Latvia on Monday, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office said in a statement.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a £250 million contract that will ensure a constant flow of artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023. He’ll also visit Estonia to meet UK troops and sign a bilateral technology partnership.
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