(Editions)
KYIV (Reuters) – Russia on Wednesday attacked Ukraine’s energy system and some cities with ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in an “inhumane” attack on Christmas Day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Nearly three years into the war, the attacks wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the Dnipropetrovsk region, the area’s governors said.
Half a million people in the Kharkiv region were left without heat, with temperatures just a few degrees Celsius above zero, while blackouts occurred in the capital kyiv and elsewhere.
“Today, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhumane? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than a hundred attack drones,” he said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had carried out a “massive strike” against what it said were critical energy facilities supporting the work of kyiv’s “military-industrial complex.”
“The objective of the strike was achieved. All facilities were hit,” he said in a statement.
Ukraine’s military said its air defenses shot down 59 Russian missiles and 54 drones overnight and Wednesday morning.
Ukrainians celebrated their second Christmas on Wednesday, according to a new calendar, another step toward eliminating Russian influence.
Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians and the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, created in 2018, agreed in 2023 to move away from the traditional Julian calendar used in Russia, where Christmas is on January 7.
Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector since the spring of this year, damaging nearly half of its generating capacity and causing prolonged blackouts.
‘RUSSIA IS GIVEN WINTER’
Ukraine’s air force said Kharkiv was attacked with ballistic missiles. Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram that there was damage to non-residential civil infrastructure, without giving further details.
Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said the death occurred in an attack on regional electrical facilities.
“Since morning, the Russian army has been massively attacking the Dnipro region. It is trying to destroy the region’s electrical system,” he said.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook (NASDAQ:) that Russia was massively attacking the energy sector and that there were restrictions on electricity supplies.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said its generation facilities were attacked, with electrical equipment severely damaged, in the 13th large-scale attack on the energy sector this year.
“We call on all of Ukraine’s allies to end this state-sponsored terrorism now by providing our armed forces with the air defense ammunition they need to protect essential energy infrastructure,” the director general said in a statement. from DTEK, Maxim Timchenko.
“Russia’s Christmas gift to Ukraine: more than 70 missiles and 100 drones, targeting Ukrainian families celebrating at home and the energy infrastructure that keeps them warm,” said US Ambassador Bridget Brink.
“For the third Christmas season, Russia uses winter as a weapon.”