Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called an attack carried out by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the country’s energy infrastructure that left thousands with power outages on Christmas Day “inhumane.”
“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack,” Zelensky said in a Wednesday post on X. “What could be more inhumane? Over 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred attack drones. The targets are our energy infrastructure. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
Russia launched more than 70 missiles on Wednesday, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, he said, adding more than 50 missiles were shot down along with a “significant” number of drones.
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Every massive Russian strike requires time for preparation. It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice – not only of targets but also of timing and date.
Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane? Over 70 missiles,… pic.twitter.com/GMD8rTomoX
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 25, 2024
“Unfortunately, there are hits. As of now, there are blackouts in several regions,” he added.
Ukraine’s air force reported Russia attacked the country’s energy and fuel supplies with 78 air and ground missiles and 106 Shahed drones. The military said it intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones.
As a result of the attack, one person died in the Dnipropetrovsk region, while six others were injured in Kharkiv, which is less than 20 miles from the Russian border, according to Ukraine’s national police.
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Russia’s military launched at least 12 missile strikes on “critical” infrastructure according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov in a post on Telegram. He also said about half a million people in the Kharkiv region are without electricity.
The attack marks the thirteenth time this year that Russia has targeted Ukraine’s power grid, according to DTEK, the country’s largest energy provider.
“There are no depths to which Russia will not sink. Denying light and warmth to millions of peace-loving people as they celebrate Christmas is a depraved and evil act that must be answered,” Maxim Timchenko, DTEK’s CEO, said Wednesday on X. “We appeal to every ally of Ukraine to end this state-sponsored terrorism now by giving our armed forces the air defence ammunition they need to protect essential energy infrastructure.”
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In the Russian city of Vladikavkaz across the border, one woman died and three others were injured from a fire caused by a drone on Wednesday, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
The Christmas Day attack comes after a deadly Russian strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih the day before, where a ballistic missile struck an apartment building and killed at least one person in the Zelensky’s hometown.