Zelenski condemns a massive Russian attack on the Ukrainian energy network at Christmas day

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky condemned an "inhumane" Russian missile and drone attack on energy infrastructure in the country. The country is celebrating Christmas on December 25 for the second time in its history.

Anti-aircraft alarms sounded on Ukrainian territory at 5:30 a.m. local time (3:30 GMT). Shortly afterwards, the air force reported that Russia had launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea.

"Putin deliberately chose Christmas Day to attack - what could be more inhumane? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, andmore than a hundred attack drones. The target is our energy system," Zelenski stated.

At least one person was killed and six were wounded, officials said.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Andrii Sibiga, stated that a Russian missile "passed through Moldovan and Romanian airspace, which is a reminder that Russia does not only threaten Ukraine."

Romania, however, claimed that it had not detected any missiles in its airspace.

This Russian attack is the thirteenth large-scale attack on the Ukrainian energy system this year, the last of the Russian campaign against this network during the winter.

Zelenski specified that "more than 50 missiles" and some of the drones were shot down, but others of the attacks caused supply cuts in several regions of the country.

According to the Ukrainian energy company DTEK, the attack severely damaged equipment at its thermal power plants.

"Depriving millions of peaceful people celebrating Christmas of light and warmth is a depraved and evil act that must be responded to," DTEK director general Maxim Timchenko, who called on Kiev's allies for more air defense assets, said in X.

Authorities in Kharkov, the country's second largest city, located in the northeast near the Russian border, reported "at least seven shellings" in the town.

At least six people were wounded, regional governor Oleg Sinegubov announced on Telegram.

The attack also hit the Dnipropetrovsk region, in the center-east. Governor Sergii Lisak said that "one person was killed.”

Power outages

"Christmas morning once again proves that nothing is sacred for the aggressor country," said Svitlana Onishchuk, governor of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, partially without electricity.

In the central Poltava region, authorities reported damage to infrastructure. 

The national electricity company, Ukrenergo, announced supply restrictions.

"The enemy once again carries out a massive attack on the energy sector," Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote on Telegram, adding that the authorities are taking "necessary measures to limit consumption in order to minimize negative consequences for the system."

These attacks take place on the day when Ukraine celebrates, for the second time in its modern history, Christmas on December 25, like other Western countries, and not on January 7 as in the Julian calendar that governs the Russian Orthodox Church.

This change of the Christmas date became official in the summer of 2023 after a law was enacted by the Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.

Ukraine faces its harshest winter in the nearly three-year war with Russia, which stepped up its attacks as its ground troops advance in the east.

Since the start of the war in February 2022, Russia has severely damaged Ukraine's power grid with attacks that cause frequent blackouts.

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised even more "destruction" to Ukraine following a drone strike on residential buildings in the Russian city of Kazan, located 620 miles from the Ukrainian border.

On Wednesday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight.

The wreckage of the downed drones damaged a power line and caused light material damage to several houses in the Voronezh region, local authorities said.