Russia believes it has a window of opportunity to step up its air and ground attacks on Ukraine as Ukraine awaits a U.S. military aid package, three officials told CNN.
The new U.S. aid package, approved last month, will provide Ukraine with additional military resources, but there will be a lag time between the approval of the funds and the arrival of the weapons needed to win the war, officials told CNN.
The officials fear Russia will attempt to exploit that delay, CNN said. On Wednesday, Russia fired more than 50 missiles and 20 drones, targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials told CNN.
Two hydropower plants in Ukraine were severely damaged and were no longer in operation after Russian bombardments earlier this week, the state energy company Ukrhydroenergo said Thursday.
Ukraine plans to double electricity imports Thursday after the powerful Russian attack on Ukraine's energy system, the energy ministry said.
Ukraine operated 10 hydropower plants prior to the Russian invasion in 2022, which produced about 10% of all Ukrainian electricity.
In 2023, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovska hydropower plant and after the latest attacks only seven plants are operating, and at significantly reduced capacity.
"They are trying to cause as many suffering to Ukrainian people as possible now in order to take advantage of and destroy Ukrainian morale," Ukrainian Parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko told CNN.
U.S. officials said that the delay in passing Ukrainian aid allowed Russia to make gains in the war, setting up a larger offensive early this summer, CNN said. Russia expects to send more manpower to the front-lines while Ukraine deals with its own manpower shortage, CNN said.
"It's more about winning the time, but not winning the war," Goncharenko said to CNN. "So, we need more support, and we need hope, or other countries will follow the U.S. example."
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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