Ukrainian prime minister warns of refugee crisis in winter

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has warned of a new wave of large numbers of refugees in light of the recent Russian airstrikes on his country.

"If there is no more electricity, no more heating, no more water in Ukraine, this can trigger a new migration tsunami," he told the Sunday edition of Germany's broadsheet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in comments seen in advance by dpa.

Shmyhal accused Russia of wanting to "plunge Ukraine into a humanitarian catastrophe" by attacking its civilian infrastructure. Ukraine was to be given a cold winter in which many people could freeze to death.

In view of this, he asked for "mobile equipment to generate electricity and heat" as well as equipment for water treatment. Fuel for the generators is still available "at the moment ... but if there are large-scale power and heating failures, [Ukraine] will need more," including "electricity imports" from the West.