Key developments on Dec. 11:
- PM: All thermal and hydroelectric power stations damaged by Russia’s attacks
- Governor: 300,000 people left without electricity in Odesa Oblast
- Zelensky talks with Macron, Erdogan
- State Emergency Service: Russia targets rescuers in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Dec. 11 warned of "significant" energy cuts this winter after Russia's missile blitz damaged "all thermal and hydroelectric power plants" across the country.
Shmyhal estimated that 40 percent of Ukraine's high-voltage network facilities, which transport electricity from power stations to urban areas and towns, were damaged to varying degrees.
"Each of us must realize that this winter we will go through significant restrictions on electricity consumption," he said in a Facebook post.
The harsh warning comes as southern Ukraine struggles to recover from Russia's overnight drone attacks on several energy facilities in Odesa Oblast, after which nearly the entire region was left without electricity on Dec. 10.
Odesa Oblast Governor Maksym Marchenko said that 300,000 people in the region remain without electricity.
Russia has fired more than 1,000 missiles and loitering munitions at energy infrastructure nationwide over the last two months, Head of Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo Volodymyr Kudrytsky said on Dec. 9.
While Ukraine's air defense shot down most of them, some hit their targets.
Ukrenergo said it would receive over 400 million euros worth of loans and grants from European institutions to purchase "critically needed equipment" for repairs.
More talks
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 11 held a phone call with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, discussing the 10-point peace formula – a Kyiv-designed plan to bring to an end to Russia's war against Ukraine.
The formula proposed by Zelensky during his speech at the November G20 summit includes a complete Russian military withdrawal from Ukraine's territory, as well as the release of all prisoners of war and returning civilians kidnapped by the Kremlin.
The Zelensky-Macron phone call comes a week after the French leader's controversial comments, which sparked an immediate backlash from Kyiv.
Macron said then on TV that "an essential" part of peace talks should focus on how to give security guarantees to Russia if it agrees to negotiate about ending the war in Ukraine.
Macron's comment was widely spread through Russian state-controlled media.
Unlike Zelensky, Macron did not mention Kyiv's "peace formula" in his Dec. 11 Twitter post.
A month ago, Zelensky said that he was open to "genuine peace talks" with Moscow amid what appeared to be growing pressure from the West to show openness for negotiations.
Moscow claimed that Zelensky's pre-conditions were "unacceptable," signaling that Russia still attempts to win the war against Ukraine.
Zelensky also spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two discussed "possible expansion of the grain corridor," according to his office.
Erdogan earlier talked with Putin about the "grain corridor," the Turkish presidency said, as well as Putin's proposal to create a regional natural gas hub in Turkey – which could transform the country into a key Russian gas route to Europe.
Raging battle
Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai said on Dec. 11 that an explosion occurred at the headquarters of the Kremlin-controlled Wagner Group militia in the occupied region.
Haidai claimed mercenaries suffered "huge losses" after their headquarters in the occupied town of Kadiivka was hit.
Russian state-run news agency TASS claimed that "a Ukrainian attack" occurred on Dec. 10 at a closed hotel in central Kadiivka.
Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the alleged attack.
In the neighboring Donetsk Oblast, Russian troops continue their attempts to break through Ukrainian defense in the direction of Avdiivka and Bakhmut, Ukraine's General Staff said in an evening briefing.
Russian artillery "targeted" rescuers delivering humanitarian aid on Dec. 11, the State Emergency Service said. It added that there were no casualties, but the rescuers' vehicle was damaged.
Liberated parts of Kherson Oblast are still under heavy Russian shelling.
Governor Yaroslav Yanushevych said on Dec. 11 that at least two civilians were killed and five were wounded in the region over the past day due to Russian shelling.
