Ukraine faces power disruptions while oil depot and other targets hit in Russia - Weekend brief
RBC-Ukraine collage
Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities are still recovering from the Russian attacks on the energy sector. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones hit an oil depot and a number of other military and other facilities in Russia and the occupied territories.
For more information on what happened over the weekend, see the RBC-Ukraine report.
Zelenskyy reports on tough energy situation in Ukraine
Some communities in Ukraine are facing extremely difficult conditions with electricity and heating, with harsh winter weather exacerbating the challenges.
"There are communities where the situation, unfortunately, remains extremely difficult—particularly in parts of towns and villages in the border regions. In Kyiv, repair work is still ongoing after the strike that occurred the day before yesterday. The main task is to restore the energy supply to all homes," the President said.
Ukrainian forces strike Russian oil rigs in Caspian Sea and air defenses
Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a series of targeted strikes on facilities that provide the Russian army with fuel, logistics, and air cover. Lukoil's drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea came under fire.
Special operations have yielded results, and new operations are planned, according to Zelenskyy.
Iran protests and the US
US President Donald Trump said that the United States is ready to help the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom. However, it remains unclear whether Washington is actually prepared for a confrontation with Iran's ayatollah-led regime.
Iran warned the United States that any US attack would trigger retaliation from Tehran.
US President Donald Trump is considering some potential military options in Iran after the death toll from protests began to rise. But no real action is planned yet, as there are certain concerns.
Malaysia and Indonesia become first to ban Musk's Grok chatbot
Indonesia and Malaysia restricted access to Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot. These countries became the first to ban the artificial intelligence system due to its generation of sexually explicit content.
The UK has held talks with Canada and Australia about a possible ban on social network X over a scandal that chatbot Grok is being used to generate explicit images of women and children.
Slovakia's government officially refuses military support for Ukraine
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister Robert Fico, and National Council Speaker Richard Raši confirmed a unified stance on not providing military aid to Ukraine.
United Kingdom to develop first Nightfall ballistic missiles for Ukraine
The United Kingdom has confirmed plans to develop and transfer Nightfall ballistic missiles to Ukraine. This missile carries a 200-kilogram warhead and is capable of hitting targets up to 500 kilometers from the launch point.
