Russia launched a devastating missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure on Wednesday, forcing residents to seek shelter as the attack struck today. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the “inhumane” nature of the assault, which targeted civilians during the holiday.
In the early hours this morning, Ukrainians were forced to hide in metro stations as 78 missiles were fired from the air, ground, and sea, with one of the missiles hitting a thermal power station.
The attack plunged half a million residents in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, into a power crisis as they were left without heating in near-freezing conditions. There were also widespread blackouts in Kyiv, the capital, and other cities, according to reports from Reuters.
The barrage, which aimed at crippling Ukraine’s fuel and energy infrastructure, also involved 106 Shahed drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles, as reported by Ukraine’s air force. The forces were able to intercept 59 missiles and 54 drones, while also jamming another 52 drones.
Zelensky slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching the attack on Christmas Day, a day traditionally associated with peace and goodwill.
“Putin deliberately chose X-mas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky wrote in a post on X. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
{Matzav.com}