Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure yesterday with more than 80 missiles and drones striking targets across the country including the Trypillya power plant near Kyiv. More than 50 missiles were reported to have been shot down by Ukrainian air defences but the ones that got through damaged power generating facilities, killed an as yet unknown number of people and left hundreds of thousands without electricity. Russia called the attack “a response” to damage inflicted on Russia’s oil and gas facilities. Ukraine is reportedly running out of air defence missiles, plenty of which can be found in Western stockpiles. Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine needs 26 more Patriot batteries for a total air shield; his foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has identified 100 in neighbouring EU countries. After failing to deliver Patriot systems to Ukraine, the European Council had its budget approval suspended by the European Parliament, although the parliament can’t force the council to act.