Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky (Volodymyr Zelensky) recently lauded the "heroic" acts of fellow Ukrainians working double time to restore utilities and electricity after Russia's fresh offensives on key cities.
Stoic Amid Adversities
Zelensky, Time Magazine's 2022 Person of the Year, kept the stoic stance he started displaying when Russia fired the first shots in its quest to annex Ukraine. The Ukrainian wartime president issued a video message in his daily address following Russian hostilities in Odesa.
"Almost every day in different regions there are shelling, there are missile attacks, drone attacks. Due to losses in the system, everyone has to reduce the limits. Recovery is also very difficult. But still, our energy and utility crews are doing truly heroic things, restoring in weeks what would have required months of work," Forbes quoted Zelensky telling his fellow Ukrainians.
The news outlet disclosed that some 1.5 million residents in the Odesa region had to endure the lack of electricity as Russian drones hit critical power lines and infrastructure. With the quick action of utility and energy crews, only 300,000 Odesa residents remained without reliable electricity as the day ended.
Local Ukrainian Leaders Bare Russian Attacks
Dnipropetrovsk region's governor, Valentyn Reznichenko, bared that the Nikopol district suffered from the six attacks by Russian forces using heavy artillery and MLRS' Grad.' Reznichenko said they recorded no civilian casualties in the six Russian drone strikes.
Meanwhile, Kherson governor Yaroslav Yanushevych disclosed that the Russians shelled his region at least 45 times overnight. Yanushevych said the Russian army used tanks, artillery, and mortars that injured five people and killed two civilians.
Meanwhile, Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov said residents in the Zaporizhia region reported at least 10 explosions on Saturday night. The explosions reportedly occurred close to a Christian church that Russian forces used as a leisure base.
Initial information showed Ukrainians launched the offensives against the Russian forces stationed in the area, killing or injuring at least 200 of them. Fedorov told Forbes the casualties were rushed to Crimea as local hospitals were already at full capacity.
European Council Greenlights Ukrainian Aid
Forbes said the Council of Europe had agreed to provide Ukraine with assistance worth $19 billion.
The news outlet disclosed that Hungary objected to the proposal, but the majority's decision prevailed. The European Parliament will receive a copy by next week.
The news outlet report said the aid package will "provide short-term financial relief, financing Ukraine's immediate needs, rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and initial support towards sustainable post-war reconstruction, with a view to supporting Ukraine on its path towards European integration."
Czechia's finance minister, Zbyněk Stanjura, said the Ukrainians could expect help from the EU amid its war with Russia. Ukraine would get the multibillion-dollar aid package throughout 2023, with a 10-year payback grace period.
"We will continue to support Ukraine, also financially, for as long as it takes. The legislation which we adopted today means that Ukraine can count on regular financial help from the EU throughout 2023," Forbes quoted Stanjura saying.
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