Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said he could make concessions to reach a ceasefire with Russia. The first step, he said, would be to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. However, this would require “give and take.”
“Could this lead to the end of the hot phase of the war? I think it is possible,” President Zelensky stressed.
The Ukrainian president believes that if both sides of the conflict reach such an agreement, it will be an important step towards reducing tensions. Mr. Zelensky noted that during the first peace summit, Kiev “saw that it is possible to make decisions on energy security.”
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| The coming harsh winter and the dire situation on the battlefield have prompted the Ukrainian President to tone down his rhetoric towards Russia. Photo: Getty |
Ukraine is preparing to face a harsh winter
Due to the growing problems with energy infrastructure, Ukraine had to reduce electricity imports by 1.6 times in September. Specifically, Ukraine only bought 83.1 million USD to buy electricity, of which this figure was 136.3 million USD in August.
According to industry expert Leonid Khazanov, one of the reasons for the decrease in electricity imports is Ukraine's infrastructure problems. In addition, this is due to increased electricity consumption in European countries that have agreed to supply electricity to Ukraine.
Problems in the energy sector have also forced Ukraine to request electricity imports from five European countries – Poland, the UK, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova. At the same time, the management of the Ukrainian state energy corporation Ukrenergo has called on citizens to save electricity.
Russia is ready to stop attacking energy facilities, but Ukraine is not
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to Türkiye's proposal to stop attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, but Kiev rejected the deal. He made it clear that before the Ukrainian army's offensive in the Kursk region in early August 2024, Moscow was ready to implement such an agreement, but Kiev, in turn, decided otherwise.
According to Mr. Shoigu, the Ukrainian authorities, by attacking Russian territory, tried to force Moscow to negotiate on Kiev's terms. Mr. Shoigu emphasized: "It was a big surprise for us when after a while they said: 'No, no, no, we will not agree to this agreement'" .
The decision of Ukraine to abandon the initiative to abandon attacks on energy facilities is explained by President Zelensky's political games, said Dmitry Novikov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. Mr. Novikov believes that the Ukrainian leader is trying to put everyone, including the West, on certain conditions regarding support for Ukraine. He wants to use unconventional measures because he does not believe that it is possible to win against Russia using traditional methods.
Ukraine may have to withdraw from Selidove
Military Summary channel reported that fighting on all fronts is increasing, the Russian army is focusing on an all-out attack to gain control of as much territory as possible before winter comes.
Following the fall of Ugledar, the next offensive is being carried out by Moscow forces in the direction south of Donetsk. To the east of Kurakhove, Russian troops are only about 1.5 km from the town after the latest attacks. Ukrainian troops (AFU) in Gyrnik and Selidove are under heavy fire. According to a Ukrainian source, the Russians control 60% of the town of Gyrnik.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, in the direction of the Oskil River in Kupyansk, the village of Novosadove is under control. In Kursk, geo-location images show an AFU counterattack in the direction of Selyone Schlaikh.
At Selidove, the Russians continue to attack from all directions. The difficult logistical situation may force the AFU to withdraw from the town. The two remaining routes into the town are controlled by the Russians.
Through flank attacks, the Russian army essentially blocked the AFU garrison's logistics route and did not allow the enemy to reinforce or replace troops.
Ukraine now has only a narrow 2.5km strip of farmland and plantations that can still be used for logistics. However, supplying the units at Selidove with everything they need will be difficult because Russian FPVs will monitor and control this corridor.
Desperate counterattacks at Kursk
Rybar channel reported that on the Kursk front, the Russian army repelled the AFU attack on the “Green Road”, destroying some equipment and neutralizing more than 10 enemy soldiers. In the Sudzha district, the AFU made unsuccessful attempts to advance into the Malaya Loknya and Sudzha areas.
In the Glushkovo district, fighting continued in the vicinity of Novy Put, where the AFU had organized a defense based on the railway line.
In the Korenevo district, fierce fighting took place in the Kremyanoye – Novoivanovka – Nizhny Klyn direction. The AFU units attacked in the area of “Green Road”. At the same time, the situation in the Tolstoy Lug and Lyubimovka areas remained tense.
An AFU armored vehicle convoy was attacked by Russian UAVs, destroying at least one tank, while a group of Ukrainian paratroopers south of Green Path was heavily damaged by Russian artillery.
In Sudzha district, the AFU also attempted to retake previously lost territories, using assault groups without armored support.
The 810th Separate Guards Marine Brigade of Russia repelled a fierce enemy attack in the Malaya Loknya area, and marines from the 155th Separate Guards Marine Brigade blocked AFU attempts to advance northeast of Sudzha.
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