United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Friday, at a press briefing held in Germany following the Group of Seven (G7) meeting, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to "freeze Ukraine into submission," as the country has so far been unsuccessful on the battlefield.
Since Moscow has failed to seize Ukraine "by force," it is now trying to target the latter's infrastructure and leave the civilians without essential facilities, Blinken underscored.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials reported issues with electricity after Russia shelled the country. They warned long-term power outages might take place and urged those who were not affected by the most recent attacks to "use electricity sparingly."
