Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Russia’s energy infrastructure is a legitimate target for Ukrainian strikes, arguing that the sector helps finance Moscow’s weapons procurement.

“We do not have to choose whether we strike a military target or energy; it’s the same thing,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

“We either build weapons or strike their weapons. Or we strike the source where their money is generated and multiplied.”

Russia reported on Friday that Ukrainian drone attacks overnight caused significant damage to energy infrastructure in the border region of Belgorod, triggering power outages.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the regional capital and five surrounding districts were affected.

At the same time, Ukraine’s energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, said Russian forces carried out a “massive attack” on Ukraine’s energy facilities overnight on Saturday.

The exchange of strikes came days after a second round of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The discussions ended without a breakthrough, as both sides continued to maintain opposing demands.

Mr Zelensky criticised Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, accusing Moscow of choosing military escalation over “real diplomacy,” and called on countries backing the trilateral talks to respond.

Russia, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of undermining the peace process.

On Monday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Ukrainian intelligence services were involved in a failed assassination attempt on a senior general from Russia’s military intelligence agency on Friday.

The FSB said two suspects had been detained and confessed to links with Ukraine, while a third suspect had fled to Ukrainian territory.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the alleged plot on Sunday as part of a hybrid war, saying such actions were intended to disrupt contacts and derail preparations for the next round of talks.

Ukraine rejected the accusation.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated on Friday that Kyiv had no involvement in the incident, describing it as an internal Russian matter.

(Xinhua/NAN)