Russia has carried out a large-scale overnight assault across multiple Ukrainian cities, killing at least three people, including a four-year-old child, and severely damaging the country’s energy infrastructure, Ukrainian authorities have confirmed.
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the strikes as a “massive” attack and said they came despite ongoing peace discussions and just days before Christmas, sending what he called a stark message about Moscow’s intentions.
Hundreds of Drones and Missiles Fired
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles, with 621 successfully intercepted by air defences. Despite the high interception rate, several strikes hit energy facilities, triggering widespread power outages.
Ukraine’s acting energy minister Artem Nekrasov said the attack marked the ninth major strike on the energy grid this year, leaving electricity supply in the Rivne, Ternopil and Khmelnytsky regions almost completely cut.
With temperatures forecast to plunge to -7°C, Ukraine’s energy operator warned of emergency power shutdowns nationwide and urged citizens to conserve electricity.
Civilian Deaths Reported Across Regions
In the Zhytomyr region, local officials confirmed the death of a four-year-old child who succumbed to injuries in hospital. Five others were wounded in the same strike.
In the Kyiv region, a 76-year-old woman was killed when a residential home was hit, while three others were injured. Another fatality was recorded in Khmelnytskyy, where a 72-year-old died following an attack.
Poland scrambled fighter jets after missiles and drones targeted western Ukraine, reflecting growing regional concern over the escalation.
Zelensky: “Russia Cannot Accept That It Must Stop Killing”
Zelensky said the timing of the strikes underscored Russia’s priorities.
“People simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe,” he said, adding that President Vladimir Putin “still cannot accept that he must stop killing.”
He also revealed that Russia rejected a US-proposed Christmas truce, despite diplomatic talks led by Washington and Kyiv aimed at ending the war.
Russia and Ukraine Trade Blame, Strikes Continue
Russia’s defence ministry claimed it targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial facilities and supporting energy infrastructure, insisting all objectives were achieved.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a petrochemical plant in Stavropol, southern Russia. Regional governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed a fire at the site but said there were no casualties and nearby homes were unharmed.
Broader Context
The attacks come amid heightened tensions following the car-bomb killing of a senior Russian general in Moscow, which Russia has blamed on Ukraine, and Putin’s recent threat to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea.
Russia currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territory, nearly three years after launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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