BLACKOUT TACTICS? The president said Ukraine shot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones amid alerts in the Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions
AP, KYIV
Russia yesterday launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, striking a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a statement on X that more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine’s power sources.
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said that one Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace.
People sit in a metro station during an air raid alert in Kyiv yesterday.
Photo: Reuters
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelenskiy said. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
Ukraine had shot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones, he said.
Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko said in a statement on Facebook that Russia again “massively attacks energy infrastructure.”
The Ukrainian Air Force sent alerts for multiple missiles fired at the Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions.
“The [electricity] distribution system operator takes the necessary measures to limit consumption to minimize negative consequences for the power system,” Halushchenko said. “As soon as the security situation allows, energy workers will establish the damage caused.”
Ukraine’s biggest private energy company, DTEK, said that Russia struck one of its thermal power plants, 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,” DTEK chief executive officer Maxim Timchenko wrote on X.
Ukrainian state energy operator, Ukrenergo, applied pre-emptive power outages across the country, due to a “massive missile attack,” leading to electricity going out in several districts of the capital, Kyiv.
At least seven strikes targeted 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 massive missile fire. A series of explosions rang out in the city and there are still ballistic missiles flying in the direction of the city. Stay in safe places,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
