Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of trying to “plunge Kyiv and the entire country into a blackout”, after a major attack overnight on energy infrastructure in the capital and a bridge over the Dnipro River.

Ukraine’s president said Moscow’s preparations for peace talks next week involved pummelling a city of millions with ballistic missiles.

Negotiators from Russia , Ukraine and the US are due to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, for talks aimed at ending the war.

Zelenskyy appealed to the US Congress – won by the Democrats in the midterm elections – to pay more attention to Ukraine in the face of relentless Russian bombardment. “Ukraine must not be left alone. We are counting on increased bilateral support from the US,” he said .

Russia used 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles in its latest attack on Kyiv and surrounding regions.…