Ukraine to compile list of energy sites Russia must stop attacking, Zelensky says
Ukraine will compile a list of energy, infrastructure, and civilian sites that Russia must cease attacking and present the document to international partners, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 19.
"And if the Russians don't hit our facilities, we won't hit their facilities," Zelensky said during a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki.
His statement follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's pledge during a March 18 call with U.S. President Donald Trump to pause strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days.
Despite this commitment, Zelensky noted that Russia launched a large-scale assault on Ukraine's infrastructure overnight on March 19. The Ukrainian leader stressed that Ukraine expects the United States to take a leading role in monitoring Russia's compliance.
"An example is yesterday's strike after Putin said there would be no strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure. He said he had given the order. And after that, there were 145 attack drones, four S-300 missiles, two Iskander ballistic missiles," Zelensky said.
Russian forces have systematically targeted Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure since 2022, intensifying their aerial campaign in recent months with nightly drone and missile attacks.
Ukrainian authorities reported that the latest strikes hit energy facilities, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure, causing outages in the Donetsk Oblast city of Sloviansk.
Russia's Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of launching three drones at an energy facility in Krasnodar Krai on March 19, resulting in a fire. Moscow labeled the attack a "provocation" aimed at disrupting Trump's ongoing peace efforts.
Zelensky is set to speak with Trump later on March 19 and expects to receive details on Trump's phone conversation with Putin.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
