Ukraine says 'survived the most difficult winter in our history'

Kyiv said that the country had "survived" a months-long onslaught of Russian strikes on critical infrastructure throughout winter, as Ukraine marked the first day of spring on Wednesday.

Since October Russia has been pummelling key energy facilities in Ukraine with missiles and drones, disrupting water, heating and electricity supplies to millions of people.

"On March 1, 2023, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin suffered his fifth major defeat since his full-scale invasion -- Ukraine defeated his winter terror," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement.

"We survived the most difficult winter in our history. It was cold and dark, but we were unbreakable."

Kuleba said Moscow's other defeats included Russia's failure to instil fear among Ukrainians, its failure to capture the capital Kyiv, multiple rounds of sanctions the West piled on the Kremlin and Ukrainian battlefield advances.

Aid organisations had warned at the beginning of winter that the targeted campaign would force a new wave of migration to Europe and that Ukraine's priority would be "survival" through the months of freezing temperatures.

The Kremlin said Kyiv was responsible for civilians' suffering because it refused to capitulate to Moscow's war demands.

The war in Ukraine has seen Europe shirk its deep reliance on Russian oil and gas amid waves of sanctions aimed at stemming Moscow's ability to fund its military through energy revenues.

"The EU also won, and contrary to Moscow's laughter, it did not freeze without Russian gas. One piece of advice to Russia: choke on your gas and choke on your missiles," Kuleba added in the statement.