Putin ‘inhumane,’ Zelensky says, as Russia pounds Ukrainian power grid on Christmas Day

By Svitlana Vlasova and Edward Szekeres, CNN

(CNN) — Russia launched an “inhumane” attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Christmas Day, with explosions reported across the country, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

It is the thirteenth time this year Russia has carried out a major attack on Ukraine’s power grid, according to DTEK, the country’s largest energy provider, leaving it in a precarious position while the war grinds into a third winter.

At least one person died in the attacks in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, while six others were injured in Kharkiv – less than 20 miles from the Russian border – Ukraine’s national police said, adding that residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged in the attack. At least seven missile strikes targeted the city, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Half a million households have been left without heating in the Kharkiv region in temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit). Kyiv has imposed rolling blackouts to stabilize the grid, DTEK said.

Ukrainian forces meanwhile said Wednesday that they attacked a Russian command post overnight in Lgov in the Kursk region, where Kyiv launched a surprise offensive this year.

Four people were killed and five have been hospitalised, including one woman in a serious condition, according to local authorities in the Kursk region.

In Russia’s North Ossetia-Alania, the ministry of defence said an explosion and fire in a shopping center in Vladikavkaz was caused by falling debris from a drone shot down by air defence forces Wednesday morning which killed one person.

Attack comes after Xmas day switch

Prior to 2023, most Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on January 7 under the Julian church calendar, but last year Zelensky signed a law formally changing the date as a way of further distancing the country from the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church – and bringing it in line with much of the rest of Europe.

Ukraine created its own independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018, splitting from the Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Since then, religious affiliation has increasingly been viewed as a symbol of national loyalty.

The holiday is now celebrated by Ukrainian Orthodox Christians on December 25, and Zelensky said Russia’s intentions were clear.

“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,” Zelensky said.

“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?”

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.

“Unfortunately, there are hits. As of now, there are blackouts in several regions,” he added.

DTEK said the attacks severely damaged equipment at its thermal power plants across the country.

“This year, it is the thirteenth massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector and the tenth massive attack on the company’s energy facilities,” the company said, adding its thermal power plants have been shelled more than 200 times since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia attacked “the energy sector again on a massive scale,” Ukraine’s energy minister German Halushchenko said on his Facebook page. Ukraine’s energy operator imposed emergency blackouts in several parts of the country, the minister added.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha said on X that a Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace “reminding that Russia threatens not only Ukraine.”

Maia Sandu, president of the Republic of Moldova said on X: “While our countries celebrate Christmas, Kremlin chooses destruction – targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and violating Moldova’s airspace with a missile, actions that clearly violate international law. Moldova condemns these acts and stands in full solidarity with Ukraine.”

Romanian’s ministry of national defense said they could not confirm that Romanian airspace was crossed.

Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to a Russian missile threat in western Ukraine, according to the Polish Operational Command.

Wednesday’s attack follows a deadly Russian strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve. At least one person was killed and 17 others were injured after a Russian missile struck a residential building in the city – the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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