Zelensky condemns Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine on Christmas Day, calling it “inhumane”

Kyiv, Ukraine Russia launched a massive barrage of missiles and drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Wednesday, hitting a thermal power plant and sending Ukrainians taking cover in metro stations on Christmas morning.

In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones had been used to strike Ukraine’s energy sources.

“Putin deliberately chose Christmas to launch an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky said. “They continue to struggle to Power outage in Ukraine“.

He added that Ukraine was able to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a large number of drones.

In a statement on Facebook, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haloshenko said Russia was “attacking energy infrastructure on a large scale” again. The Ukrainian Air Force observed several missiles being fired at the Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions in the east of the country.

He added, “The (electricity) distribution system operator is taking the necessary measures to reduce consumption to reduce negative impacts on the energy system.” “As soon as the security situation allows, energy workers will determine the damage caused.”

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

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

Ukrainian state energy company Ukrenergo has pre-emptively cut power across the country due to a “massive missile attack”, knocking out power in several areas of the capital, Kiev.

Regional President Oleh Sinyhopov wrote on Telegram that at least seven strikes targeted Kharkiv, sparking fires across the city. Local authorities said that at least three people were injured.

The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, said, “Kharkiv is under heavy missile attack. A series of explosions rang out in the city, and there are still ballistic missiles flying in the direction of the city. Stay in safe places.”

Ukraine’s power grid has been heavily targeted ever since Russia launched a large-scale invasion In February 2022, Kiev accused Moscow of “terrorism” tactics by trying to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and cut off heating for civilians throughout the winter.