Zelenskyy condemns Russian Christmas Day missile and drone attack on Ukraine as ‘inhumane’

Kyiv, Ukraine – Russia on Wednesday launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, hitting a thermal power plant and sending Ukrainians sheltering in metro stations on Christmas morning, Ukrainian officials said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it had carried out a “massive attack” on what it said were critical energy facilities in Ukraine that support the work of Kiev’s military-industrial complex, Reuters reported.

The Russian attack left half a million people in the Kharkiv region without heat, with temperatures just above zero Celsius, and blackouts in the capital Kiev and elsewhere, Reuters added.

The attacks wounded at least six people in Kharkiv and killed one in the Dnipropetrovsk region, governors there said, according to Reuters.

In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and over 100 attack drones were used to attack Ukraine’s power sources.

“Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” said Zelenskyy. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”

Ukraine shot down 59 of 78 Russian missiles and 54 of 102 drones, Reuters quoted Ukraine’s military as saying.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said Russia is again “massively attacking energy infrastructure,” in a Facebook statement. Ukraine’s air force noted several missiles fired at the Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions in the east of the country.

“The (electricity) distribution system operator is taking the necessary measures to limit consumption to minimize negative impacts on the power system,” he said. “As soon as the security situation permits, energy workers will determine the damage.”

Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said Russia hit one of its thermal power plants, making it the 13th attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year.

“Denying light and warmth to millions of peace-loving people when they celebrate Christmas is a depraved and evil act that must be answered,” wrote Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK on his X account.

Ukraine’s state energy operator Ukrenergo initiated preemptive blackouts across the country due to a “massive missile attack”, causing electricity to go out in several districts of the capital, Kiev.

At least seven attacks targeted Kharkiv and sparked fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured, the local authorities said.

“Kharkiv is under massive missile fire. A series of explosions rang out in the city and ballistic missiles are still flying in the direction of the city. Stay in safe places,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Ukraine’s energy grid has been heavily targeted since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, when Kiev accused Moscow of “terror” tactics by trying to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and cut off heating for civilians all winter.