Putin wants Ukrainians 'to suffer and surrender,' Zelensky says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to wear down Ukrainians by leaving them "in the dark and cold this winter," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a high-profile speech at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

"Since Russia can't defeat our people's resistance on the battlefield, Putin is looking for other ways to break the Ukrainian spirit. One of his methods is targeting our energy infrastructure," Zelensky told world leaders watching his 20-minute speech.

He said Russia had destroyed all of Ukraine's thermal power plants and "a large part" of the country's hydroelectric capacity. In all, Russia has inflicted damage on 80% of the energy infrastructure.

"This is how Putin is preparing for winter: hoping to torment millions of Ukrainians, ordinary families, women, children, ordinary towns, ordinary villages. Putin wants to leave them in the dark and cold this winter, forcing Ukraine to suffer and surrender."