A mother cares for her child at a temporary shelter, as public services are restored after Russian missile strikes across Ukraine

Sunday’s Coverage: Russian Shelling Kills Dozens in Liberated Kherson

Source: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1330 GMT:

Foreign Ministers of seven countries — Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden —- are in Kyiv today.

Lithuania’s Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted:

UPDATE 1320 GMT:

The Ukraine Prosecutor General’s office has issued its latest update on the status of Ukrainian children during the Russian invasion: “329 are missing, 12,034 – deported, and 7,819 – found”.

The office said last week that 440 children are confirmed killed and 851 wounded.

It emphasized in both cases that the actual figures are likely to be far higher, given the difficulties of obtaining information from frontlines and from Russian-occupied territory.

UPDATE 0857 GMT:

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty draws a portrait of a deprived Siberian village further damaged by Vladimir Putin’s mass mobilization of men to fight in Ukraine.

Bukachacha, population 1,200, is a difficult-to-reach settlement in Zabaikalsky Krai in eastern Russia. Many of its military-age men were swept up and away by the mobilization — including the owner of the local baker and the carrier of water to elderly residents.

“The authorities forgot about Bukachacha. They remembered it only now, during the mobilization,” says Andrei Epov, the driver and operator of the bus service to the nearest city, Chita. “[Life] in Bukachacha is like after a war.”

With the water carrier taken away by mobilization, the elderly have to haul buckets of water up to several kilometers from a well to home.

“It’s still winter, and we have no street cleaners, so it is icy. It’s not easy to haul buckets,” says Natalya.

UPDATE 0833 GMT:

Ukraine’s grain exports fell by about a third in November as Russia limited inspections of ships from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said November’s grain shipments were less than 3 million tons, compared to about 4.2 million in October.

“It was the custom to conduct 40 inspections a day. Now, due to Russia’s position, there are five times fewer checks,” Kubrakov said.

He said 77 ships were queuing to pass inspection in Turkey as Ukraine’s three Black Sea ports use up to only 50% of their capacity.

UPDATE 0819 GMT:

Mothers of Russian troops have joined an activist group to demand Moscow’s withdrawal from Ukraine.

The Feminist Anti-War Resistance group has organized a petition coinciding with Mother’s Day in Russia. Addressed to legislators, it had more than 1,500 signatures by Sunday afternoon.

For nine months now, the so-called ‘special military operation’ has been going on, which brings destruction, grief, blood and tears. Everything that happens in Ukraine and Russia worries our hearts.

Regardless of what nationality, religion or social status we are, we — the mothers of Russia — are united by one desire: to live in peace and harmony, raise our children under a peaceful sky and not be afraid for their future….

We are against the participation of our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers in this. Your duty is to protect the rights and freedoms of mothers and children, you should not turn a blind eye to all this.

UPDATE 0807 GMT:

The head of Ukraine’s nuclear energy agency Energoatom says the country has enough nuclear fuel reserves for two years.

Ukraine halted the purchase of Russian fuel after the start of Moscow’s invasion in Feburary.

Energoatom is moving units that relied on Russian fuel to US-based Westinghouse Electric. Kotin said:

We are working with Westinghouse to create our own fuel production line, based on their technologies. We already produce heads and tails of fuel cartridges that have been licensed by this American company.

So we will produce half of it ourselves, and the other half will be supplied by Westinghouse.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Ukrainians to be ready for ongoing Russian missile strikes, as Vladimir Putin tries to stave off the defeat of his nine-month invasion.

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelenskiy said, “We understand that terrorists are preparing new strikes. We know that for sure. And as long as they have missiles, they won’t stop, unfortunately.”

Zelenskiy hailed repair and recovery efforts after last Wednesday’s Russian launch of 70 missiles and five attack drones, the latest in the waves of assaults since October 10.

EA on Times Radio: Ukrainians v. Desperate Putin’s Missiles

“Another week of full-scale war is coming to an end – a week in which we accomplished a lot. All together. Thanks to our unity,” He noted.

The President said that “in most regions of the country, only stabilization schedules of shutdowns are in effect”.

On Sunday, State energy grid operator Ukrenergo said about 80% of demand is now being supplied, up from 75% on Saturday. Authorities in Kyiv said utilities — power, water, heat, and mobile phone service — were “almost completely restored”.

But Zelenskiy emphasized that there must be no relaxation of effort:

The upcoming week can be as difficult as the one that passes. Our Defense Forces are preparing. The whole state is preparing. We work out all scenarios, including with partners.

And our unity with you must be ready. Therefore, please do not leave without helping those whom you can help.

Ukrainian diplomat Yevhenii Yenin said Russian attacks have damaged about 32,000 civilian targets and more than 700 critical infrastructure facilities since the invasion began on February 24.

“These are primarily private houses or civilian apartment buildings,” Yenin said. “Only 3% of recorded attacks have been on military facilities.”

He echoed Zelenskiy, “[Russia has a maniacal desire to plunge Ukraine into darkness, and there is no reason to believe that they will stop.”

Russians Preparing to Leave Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant?

While anticipating the next Russian assault, Ukrainian officials pointed to a possible breakthrough on the military and energy fronts.

The head of State nuclear energy agency Energoatom, Petro Kotin, said there are signs that Russian forces may be preparing to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine.

The Russians occupied the plant, the largest in Europe, in March and converted it into a military complex. They have used the site to shell Ukrainian territory, such as the city of Nikopol, across the Dnipro River.

Power to the plant has been periodically cut amid the shelling and Russia’s strikes, and the six reactors are off-line.

The Russians have resisted calls, including from the UN, to leave the plant. Ukrainian officials said Moscow was attempting to transfer the site to its own nuclear energy agency.

However, Energoatom’s Kotin said on national TV on Sunday, “In recent weeks we are effectively receiving information…that they are possibly preparing to leave the [plant]. One gets the impression they’re packing their bags and stealing everything they can.”

The Russian proxy administration in nearby Enerhodar city responded, “The media are actively spreading fakes that Russia is allegedly planning to withdraw from Enerhodar and leave the [plant]. This information is not true.”

Russian forces continued to shell across Nikopol across the Dnipro River overnight, firing 30 shells. No casualties were reported.