10:32 pm - February 22, 2025
Russian Drone Strikes Cause Widespread Damage and Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine
On the evening of February 16, 2025, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on critical civilian infrastructure in southern Ukraine, specifically targeting a thermal power plant in the city of Mykolaiv. The strike caused significant damage to the plant, leaving 46,000 consumers without heating amidst freezing temperatures. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal condemned the attack as a deliberate act of aggression aimed at creating a humanitarian catastrophe. He emphasized that the destruction of the power plant was not an accidental byproduct of war but a calculated effort to leave people exposed to sub-zero temperatures. “This was done deliberately to leave people without heat in sub-zero temperatures and create a humanitarian catastrophe,” Shmyhal said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. The temperature in Mykolaiv was expected to drop to minus 7 degrees Celsius (19.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday night, exacerbating the suffering of those affected.
The impact of the attack was even more severe than initially reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that the drone strike had left 100,000 people in Mykolaiv without access to heating. In a post on the social media platform X, Zelenskyy called the attack a clear demonstration of Russia’s indiscriminate war against Ukrainian civilians. “An ordinary Ukrainian city. Ordinary civilian infrastructure. It has nothing to do with hostilities or the frontline situation,” he wrote. Zelenskyy emphasized that the attack was a direct targeting of civilian life and infrastructure, further underscoring the brutal reality of the ongoing conflict. Repair crews were working tirelessly to restore heating services, but the scale of the damage posed significant challenges. Zelenskyy’s message was clear: the attack was not just an act of war but an attack on life itself in Ukraine.
The Mykolaiv attack was part of a larger wave of Russian drone strikes that targeted Ukrainian cities overnight. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched 143 drones, but Ukraine’s military managed to shoot down 95 of them. Another 46 drones were neutralized, likely due to the use of electromagnetic countermeasures that disrupted their operations. Despite these efforts, the remaining drones caused significant destruction. In addition to the thermal power plant in Mykolaiv, residential buildings in the Kyiv region were also damaged, and at least one person was injured in the attacks. Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Kyiv, noted that the Ukrainian military had observed an “uptick in attacks by Russian forces” over the past 24 hours. Stratford highlighted that while Russian forces had not made significant territorial gains in recent months, the intensity of the conflict showed no signs of diminishing.
Zelenskyy Calls for Increased Air Defense Support and Warns of Global Threat
In response to the escalating attacks, President Zelenskyy used the platform of the Munich Security Conference to urge Western allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Zelenskyy warned that Russia’s aggression was not only a threat to Ukraine but to global security. He pointed out that Russia now controls 20% of Ukrainian territory and is slowly advancing in the eastern part of the country as the full-scale invasion approaches its third anniversary. Zelenskyy provided stark data to illustrate the scale of Russia’s offensive: over the past week alone, Russian forces had unleashed approximately 1,220 aerial bombs, 850 drones, and more than 40 missiles into government-controlled areas of Ukraine. He called on Europe and the world to better protect themselves from such aggression and to confront the threat decisively.
Zelenskyy’s message was clear: the international community must act swiftly to support Ukraine and counter Russia’s expanding influence. “Europe and the world must be better protected from such evil and prepared to confront it,” he wrote in a Telegram post. He stressed the importance of a united foreign policy and increased pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he accused of expanding the war globally. Zelenskyy expressed optimism that a united effort by Ukraine, Europe, the United States, and other partners could bring the conflict to an end with a just and lasting peace. His words served as a reminder that the stakes of the conflict go far beyond Ukraine’s borders and demand a collective response.
Trump’s Surprise Call to Putin and the U.S.-Led Peace Talks
Zelenskyy’s call for unity came amid a surprising development in the diplomatic arena. United States President Donald Trump sparked concern among European allies and Ukraine by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin without consulting them or Kyiv beforehand. Trump’s decision to initiate direct communication with Putin and declare the start of peace talks raised eyebrows, particularly given the timing and lack of coordination with key stakeholders. The move was seen by many as an abrupt and potentially destabilizing intervention in the conflict.
The upcoming talks, set to take place in Saudi Arabia, marked one of the first high-level in-person discussions between Russian and U.S. officials in years. They are expected to pave the way for a meeting between Trump and Putin. While the talks were presented as an opportunity to explore a path to peace, they also raised concerns about the potential marginalization of European allies and Ukraine itself. In an interview with CBS, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the next few days would be critical in determining whether Putin was genuinely committed to achieving peace in Ukraine. Trump’s Ukraine envoy, General Keith Kellogg, added that Europe would not have a seat at the negotiating table, a statement that further fueled anxieties about the exclusion of key players.
European Allies Express Concerns and Reaffirm Support for Ukraine
The U.S.-led peace initiative prompted an emergency meeting of European Union foreign ministers, who gathered to discuss their role in the negotiations and their concerns about being sidelined. European officials were quick to emphasize that any peace talks must include Ukraine and Europe. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna summed up the sentiment: “There cannot be anything [done] without Ukraine and also anything without Europe.” He reiterated Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, both militarily and financially, and called for clarity and unity in the face of rapidly unfolding developments. “Things are moving quickly,” he told Al Jazeera. “We must be sure and clear about what we are going to do.”
Despite the urgency and complexity of the situation, European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy, however, expressed concerns about Europe’s reliance on the United States for security and advocated for the creation of a European army to strengthen the continent’s defense capabilities. While Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski acknowledged the need for stronger European defense, he cautioned against the idea of a unified army, emphasizing that individual nations would retain control over their military forces. Instead, he called for greater investment in Europe’s collective defense capabilities. These discussions underscored the ongoing debates about Europe’s role in the conflict and its ability to project power independently of the United States.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron would host a meeting of European leaders, including representatives from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Denmark, to coordinate their response to the crisis. The meeting aimed to ensure that Europe’s voice was heard in the peace talks and that Ukraine’s interests were protected. As the situation continued to evolve, one thing remained clear: the road to peace in Ukraine would require a coordinated and sustained effort from the international community.