Russia-Ukraine war: Shelling kills 15 in Kherson; Zelensky says 6mn households hit by power cuts

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday (November 25) that in the aftermath of strikes on energy infrastructure, over six million households in the country had been affected by power cuts.

During his daily address on social media, Zelensky said: "As of this evening, blackouts continue in most regions (of Ukraine) and in Kyiv. In total, more than six million subscribers." He also noted thatthe number of affected households has reduced "by half" since Wednesday.

According to Zelensky, basic utilities are gradually being restored, however, at least 15 regions are facing water supply issues. "Together we endured nine months of full-scale war and Russia has not found a way to break us, and will not find one,” he said in his address.

Meanwhile, Kyiv's mayor,Vitaly Klitschko reportedly said that at least 60 per cent of households in the city have no power as rolling blackouts continue across the country. The city of three million residents has plunged into darkness following missile attacks by Russia on Wednesday, he added, while theengineers are strugglingto repair transformers and transmission lines after they were either damaged or destroyed.

On the other side, an official claimed that Russian shelling on the southern Ukrainian city ofKhersonkilled at least 15 civilians on Friday.

City official Galyna Lugova said that atotal of "15 residents were killed and 35 injured, including one child, as a result of enemy shelling". She further added that several "private houses and high-rise buildings" had been damaged.

Yarovslav Yanushovich, who is the head of theKhersonmilitary administration, said:"The Russian invaders opened fire on a residential area with multiple rocket launchers. A large building caught fire."

Zelensky visits the site of a missile strike

The Ukrainian president also visited the site of a missile strike on a residential building in Vyshhorod, which is in Kyiv’s region. The strike was blamed on Russia by Ukraine.

In a social media post, Zelensky said that "the damaged four-storey residential building is a consequence of the Russian missile terror on our people."

On Wednesday, As quoted by news agencies, the city's Ukrainian officials said on Telegram that as a result of the attack, three people died and six were injured.

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.

The strikes by Russia on energy infrastructure have left millions of people across Ukraine without power, and with winter approaching, the situation is likely to become worse amid the ongoing war.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) also warned that the upcoming winter would be "life-threatening" for millions of Ukrainians due to the energy crisis.

Zelensky said that some 600,000 subscribers were experiencing power cuts in the capital Kyiv. He further mentioned that Odessa, Lviv, Vinnytsia and Dnipropetrovsk regions are also among the worst affected.

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