Ukraine ‘survives the most difficult winter in history’, says minister
- As nation marked first day of spring, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said winter was ‘cold and dark, but we were unbreakable’
- Russia said Ukraine was responsible for suffering stemming from massive power outages because it refused to capitulate to Moscow’s demands
Ukraine said it had survived a months-long winter onslaught of Russian strikes on water and energy infrastructure, as it marked the first day of spring on Wednesday.
But Kyiv was under fierce pressure in the eastern town of Bakhmut while Moscow said it had downed a barrage of Ukrainian drones launched at the Crimean peninsula.
Since October Russia has been pummelling key facilities in Ukraine with missiles and drones, disrupting water, heating and electricity supplies to millions of people.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine had overcome “winter terror” brought against his country by Russian leader Vladimir Putin and hailed the first day of spring as another “major defeat” for the Kremlin.
“We survived the most difficult winter in our history. It was cold and dark, but we were unbreakable,” Kuleba said in a statement.
Aid organisations had warned at the beginning of winter that the targeted campaign would force a new wave of migration to Europe and that Ukraine’s priority would be “survival” through the months of freezing temperatures.