Ukraine is experiencing power outages in several regions due to a massive Russian airstrike launched earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on Wednesday.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine was attacked on Christmas Day by more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and 100 drones, targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
“Today, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin deliberately chose Christmas as an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky wrote in an English-language post.
Russia continues to “fight for a blackout in Ukraine,” he added.
“According to preliminary reports, Ukrainian forces were able to shoot down more than 50 missiles and a “significant number of drones,” Zelensky said.
“Unfortunately there have been hits,” he added.
“There are currently power outages in several regions. Energy engineers are working to restore power as quickly as possible,” he wrote.
Several injured in ‘massive’ airstrike
Air raid sirens sounded across the country on Wednesday morning.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian Tu-95 MS fighter jets have fired numerous cruise missiles at Ukraine over the Black Sea.
At least four people were injured by heavy rocket fire in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, authorities said.
Among them was a 39-year-old man who was injured in the Saltivskyi district and taken to hospital, the region’s military governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
“Two other victims are in serious condition,” Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram.
In addition, one person was injured when a residential building was hit in another neighborhood.
“The Russian army has carried out at least seven attacks,” Syniehubov said, reporting fires and damage to civilian infrastructure as a result.
According to Terekhov, a fire broke out after the Kharkov district of Kiev was hit.
Explosions were also reported from the eastern city of Dnipro, according to state news agency Ukrinform.
As a result of the ongoing attacks, measures have been taken in Ukraine to limit electricity consumption, Ukrinform reports, citing electricity grid operator Ukrenergo.
Heavy fighting reported over Pokrovsk
Meanwhile, Russian attackers and Ukrainian defenders again engaged in fierce fighting for the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
The General Staff in Kiev said in its situation report on Wednesday evening that 35 Russian attacks were reported during the day around the city on the edge of the Donbass.
“Three Russian armies are concentrated against us here,” regional commander Viktor Trehubov told the UNIAN news agency.
He stated: “The fighting here is very intense because the Russian occupiers are throwing forward all available forces and trying to break the defense lines of our troops.”
In the attempted pincer attacks on Pokrovsk, the Russian attackers reportedly suffered heavy casualties. The day before alone, 133 Russian soldiers were killed, he said.
These figures could not be independently verified.
The Russian army tries to advance as close as possible to the outskirts of Pokrovsk and break through the left and right flanks of the defenders.
Trehubov described the situation as follows: “Since fighting in the city itself is very unpleasant, the enemy is trying to force battles in the suburbs to force the Ukrainian forces to withdraw and avoid a frontal attack.”
