Russia launched a massive barrage of missiles and drones targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine on Wednesday, hitting a hot power plant and forcing Ukrainians to take shelter in substations on Christmas morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to attack Ukraine’s energy sources, in a statement sent by X.
At least one person was killed in the Dnipro region in the attack, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on the Telegram messaging service, adding that the heating of 155 residential buildings in the Ivano-Frankivsk region was disrupted. He also said that 500,000 recipients or 2,677 buildings in the Kharkiv region were without heat.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said one Russian missile passed through the airspace of Moldova and Romania.
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack him. What could be more brutal?” Zelenskyy said. “They continue to fight for the blackout in Ukraine.”
He said Ukraine managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a large number of drones.
Every major Russian strike requires time to prepare. It is not a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice – not only of the target but also of the time and date.
Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be cruel? More than 70 arrows,… pic.twitter.com/GMD8rTomoX
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday it had carried out a “major strike” on what it said were key energy facilities in Ukraine that support the work of the Kyiv military-industrial complex.
In the same statement it said that the Russian army has also taken control of the Vidrodzhennia area in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said Russia is also “heavily attacking the energy infrastructure,” in a Facebook statement. The Ukrainian Air Force reported several missiles fired in Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions in the east of the country.
“I [electricity] the operator of the distribution system takes the necessary measures to reduce consumption in order to reduce the negative effects on the electricity system, “As soon as the security situation allows, the energy workers will establish the damage caused.”
More than a dozen attacks on Ukraine’s power grid
Ukraine’s largest private power company, DTEK, said Russia struck one of its thermal power plants on Wednesday morning, making it the 13th attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year.
“Denying light and warmth to millions of peace-loving people as 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, implemented an early power cut across the country, due to a “massive missile attack,” resulting in blackouts in several districts of the capital, Kyiv.
At least seven strikes were targeted at Kharkiv, sparking fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured, local authorities said.
“Kharkiv is under heavy missile fire. A series of explosives have exploded in the city and there are still missiles flying towards the city. Stay in safe places,” said Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.