Targeting civilians

Facing reverses on the battlefield, Vladimir Putin is targeting Ukrainian civilians with devastating effect by attacking the infrastructure [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Facing reverses on the battlefield, Vladimir Putin is targeting Ukrainian civilians with devastating effect by attacking the infrastructure that keeps the lights on and heats homes. The Russian president’s forces launched a new barrage of almost 70 rockets against Ukraine yesterday. One hit a maternity ward, killing a newborn, authorities said. Many more slammed into transformers and power stations, plunging the country into darkness as temperatures dropped below zero. Key reading: - [Ukraine Struggles to Restore Utilities After Big Russian Strikes]( - [Poland Wants German Patriot Missiles to Be Deployed in Ukraine]( - [Kremlin Faces Rising Ire from Wives, Mothers of Mobilized Troops]( - Follow our lastest coverage of the war [here](. Teams scrambling to repair the damage, which Ukraine estimated at almost $2 billion even before yesterday’s salvos, restored power to critical infrastructure in most regions early today. But much of the country remained without lights, heat or water, and returning the utility grid back to its normal state will take a lot more time. The World Health Organization has warned the lives of a huge swathe of the population are at risk. And after millions of Ukrainians fled abroad to escape the war, more may leave now, potentially sparking a new humanitarian crisis in Europe. Russia’s representative to the United Nations said the attacks will continue until Kyiv is forced to take a “realistic” approach toward talks. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, condemned the tactic as “a clear crime against humanity” and has rejected any negotiations until Moscow’s forces leave. Putin has long made clear he doesn’t care what Ukraine and its allies think. But he’s also facing pressure at home from Russian families desperate to save relatives from perishing on the front line. Most of the complaints aren’t against the war itself. Protests in at least 15 regions have focused mainly on getting sons and husbands the proper training and equipment they need to fight. But as support for the invasion is slipping in Russia, Putin’s efforts to crush Ukraine’s fighting spirit are becoming ever more merciless. — [Michael WinfreyÂ]( A blackout in Kyiv yesterday. Photographer: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo Click [here]( to listen to our Twitter space conversation yesterday about the renewed debate over Brexit in the UK. And if you’re enjoying this newsletter, sign up [here]( for Balance of Power. Global Headlines Covid test | A temporary quarantine facility made of shipping containers, tents appearing in a park, and a conference center converted into a makeshift hospital are all signs that Beijing [is bracing]( for a fight against Covid-19. The rise in new cases in the city to a record 1,611 yesterday is sending panic through the Chinese capital that’s largely kept the virus out for more than two years. - China’s daily Covid infections climbed to a [record high]( as it battles an outbreak that’s grown since the government adopted a more targeted approach to containing the virus. - Zhengzhou, home to Apple’s largest iPhone manufacturing site, will be largely [locked down]( for five days as officials tighten curbs against a Covid-19 outbreak. Tricky talks | European Union member states will try to make [progress]( today toward a deal on how to contain gas prices as they step up efforts to tackle the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war. The 27-nation bloc’s energy ministers meet amid disagreement over plans to curb Russia’s [oil revenues]( and anger at EU Commission proposals on capping gas prices on the market. - The [trickle]( of natural gas still flowing through Ukraine to western Europe is at risk after Russia’s attacks, a former senior Ukrainian official said. Tarnished image | Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose public support has nosedived over a series of scandals, is seeing his image [tarnished]( by questions about political campaign financing. The premier sought to brush off a magazine report that questioned election expenses from last year, telling reporters today that while some receipts his office submitted didn’t include complete information, the money had been spent appropriately. Best of Bloomberg Opinion - [I’m Thankful Politics Might Be Fun Again: Jonathan Bernstein]( - [Energy Security Ousts Climate Change in 2023: Javier Blas]( - [The UK Needs a New Deal With the European Union: Editorial]( Blown up | Australia will bring in a new system of protection for historic Indigenous sites following a government probe into mining giant Rio Tinto’s 2020 [destruction]( of ancient caves during exploration. While no laws were broken when it blew up Juukan Gorge, the site occupied as long as 46,000 years ago and used by Aboriginal Australians for cooking and shelter was irreparably damaged, triggering a backlash against the company. Explainers you can use - [Indian Railways Shows Slow Progress in Installing Renewables]( - [How to Recycle Old Buildings to Make Cities More Sustainable]( - [UK’s Egg Crisis Exposes Food-Supply Crunches That Won’t Go Away]( Premier at last | Veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will finally become Malaysia’s [prime minister](, capping a tumultuous political career that veered from almost clinching the top job on more than one occasion to spending years in prison. His reformist party will lead the next government after King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah intervened when no alliance secured a majority in Saturday’s general election. Anwar after a meeting with the king on Monday. Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images Bloomberg TV and Radio air Balance of Power with [David Westin]( on weekdays from 12 to 1pm ET, with a second hour on Bloomberg Radio from 1 to 2pm ET. You can watch and listen on Bloomberg channels and online [here](. News to Note - Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed a new [army chief](, replacing General Qamar Javed Bajwa, whose six-year term saw a deepening political crisis as former premier Imran Khan set off a high-stakes clash with the powerful military. - The European Commission may [suspend]( some of the funds allocated to Hungary because the country has failed to put into law measures meant to fight corruption and bolster the rule of law, sources say. - The European Parliament’s website was [knocked offline]( after the assembly voted to condemn Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. A pro-Russia group claimed responsibility. - EU nations agreed to pursue a €43 billion ($44.4 billion) plan to jump-start the bloc’s semiconductor production, clearing a [key hurdle]( in its plan to bolster high-tech industry. - Serbia and Kosovo agreed to [defuse tensions]( over a policy on license plates and chief negotiators agreed to fully focus on a proposal to normalize ties, the EU’s top diplomat said. - Truck drivers are on [strike]( in South Korea for the second time in less than a year, targeting major ports in a bid to disrupt key exports from autos to petrochemicals. And finally … If a deeply polarizing presidential election wasn’t enough to tear Brazilians apart, the World Cup is posing a new identity test: whether to wear their [most-prized]( shirt. The national football team’s canary yellow and green jersey has become the choice accessory of supporters of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. So closely is the shirt associated with the right-wing leader that many fans are ditching it ahead of the tournament favorites’ first match today. Shoppers browse Brazilian national team jerseys. Photographer: Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](