KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia’s missile and drone strikes on Christmas Day, which targeted the country’s energy infrastructure, leaving widespread damage and cutting off power to many regions.
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky said, adding that over 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than 100 drones were used to strike Ukraine’s power grid.
Air raid sirens sounded early on Dec 25 as Russia launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea. While Ukrainian forces reported shooting down 58 of 79 missiles, they failed to intercept two North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles.
Christmas Under Attack
The attacks severely damaged thermal power plants, cutting off heat in several regions, including Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, where half a million residents temporarily lost power. One person was killed in Dnipropetrovsk as missiles damaged a thermal plant. Mayor Borys Filatov said authorities evacuated hospital patients in the affected areas.
Despite the attacks, Ukraine celebrated Christmas on Dec 25 for only the second year since moving the official holiday from Jan 7, traditionally observed by Orthodox Christians, in a gesture of defiance against Russia. Citizens paraded through Kyiv, singing carols and expressing resilience.
Global Reactions
U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the strikes as “outrageous,” announcing continued arms shipments to Ukraine. “Denying heat and electricity to people during winter is depraved,” Biden said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed solidarity, calling the attacks part of Putin’s “bloody and brutal war machine.”
The missile strikes came amid reports that one Russian projectile crossed Moldovan airspace. Moldova confirmed the violation, accusing Russia of deliberately flying at low altitudes to evade detection. Romania, however, did not confirm any airspace breach.
Tensions and the Front Line
While Russia also accused Ukraine of causing casualties in strikes on its border regions, the Christmas Day attacks marked the 13th large-scale assault on Ukraine’s energy grid this winter.
Meanwhile, Russian forces claimed progress on the battlefield, seizing the small village of Vidrodzhennia near the Donetsk region as they pushed to recapture Kupiansk, a strategic rail hub. Ukrainian troops, stretched thin, have reportedly ceded ground in some areas.
The escalation occurs amid rising concerns over the pending inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to quickly end the war. Observers fear this could force Kyiv into unfavorable terms with Moscow, jeopardizing Ukraine’s sovereignty.