Christmas Under Fire: Ukraine Suffers Major Attacks on December 25
On what is traditionally a day of peace and celebration, Ukrainians woke up to a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes on Christmas Day. The scale of the attacks has been both shocking and tragic, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming that over 70 missiles and more than 100 drones were launched against various targets across the country.
Among the hardest hit was Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported via Telegram that Kharkiv was subjected to a massive missile assault, urging residents to seek safety in the face of such unprecedented violence.
Explosions have also been reported in other major cities, including Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, and Ivano-Frankivsk. The day has brought injury to at least six civilians, with many more likely affected. President Zelenskyy took to social media platform X, expressing his outrage, stating, "Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. Is there anything more inhumane than that?"
Zelenskyy's words carried a profound weight, highlighting the calculated nature of these strikes. He noted that every significant Russian assault requires substantial preparation and is rarely spontaneous, indicating a deliberate choice of both targets and timing. Christmas Day, a date marked by global observance and festivity, was chosen purposefully for its potential to inflict maximum psychological harm.
Fortunately, despite the overwhelming onslaught, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian defense forces managed to intercept over 50 missiles in their initial response. However, the focus of the attacks appears to be aimed squarely at Ukraine's energy infrastructure. As the country fights to avoid a total blackout, the Minister of Energy, Herman Halushchenko, confirmed through a Facebook post that the enemy is once again targeting the energy sector.
In response to these devastating strikes, emergency power outages have already been initiated in various cities to manage the supply and mitigate damage. The largest private energy company in Ukraine, DTEK, emphasized that this marks the 13th attack on its facilities in the calendar year alone, with ten of those specifically designed to disrupt DTEK's operations. They reported significant damage to thermal production facilities, an alarming wake-up call for the energy system in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as Governor Serhiy Lysak noted that Russian forces are intent on dismantling the region's energy grid.
As Ukrainians come to terms with the impact of these attacks amidst their Christmas celebrations, the resilience of the nation and its leadership stands out. The world watches, hoping for peace and an end to the violence that continues to overshadow the daily lives of millions.
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