Russia launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Wednesday, hitting a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.
Ukraine's air force said the attacks on Ukraine's fuel and energy sources included 78 air-to-air, surface-to-air and sea-launched missiles, as well as 106 martyrs and other types of drones. It claimed to have intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones, with 52 more drones jammed.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin deliberately chose Christmas for the attack. What could be more inhumane than that?” “They are fighting for a blackout in Ukraine,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
Meanwhile, in Russia, a woman was killed and three others injured when debris from a drone fell on a shopping mall in the city of Vladikavkaz. The head of Russia's Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Gov. Sergei Minailo, said security footage showed the blast outside the Alanya mall on Wednesday morning.
At least one person was killed in Russia's attack on Ukraine's Dnipro region, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Koliba said on Telegram, adding that heating systems for 155 residential buildings had been disrupted. He also said that 500,000 people in the Kharkiv region are without heat.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha said a Russian missile passed through the airspace of Moldova and Romania.
Energy Minister Herman Hulshenko said Russia was once again “attacking energy infrastructure on a massive scale.” Ukraine's air force said several missiles were fired at the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava in the east of the country.
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Halushchenko said the electricity distributor has taken necessary steps to limit consumption. “As soon as the security situation permits, energy workers will determine the damage,” he said. State energy operator Ukrainergo imposed a nationwide blackout in advance of the “massive missile attack,” which knocked out power in several districts of the capital, Kiev.
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said Russia targeted one of its thermal power plants early Wednesday, marking the 13th attack on Ukraine's power grid this year.
“Denying light and warmth to millions of peaceful people during Christmas is a despicable and evil act that must be answered,” DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko wrote on his X account.
At least seven attacks hit Kharkiv, setting fires across the city, regional chief Olya Sanyhobov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured, local officials said.
“Kharkiv is under heavy missile fire. A series of explosions were heard in the city and ballistic missiles are still flying towards the city. Stay in safe places,” said Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Russia's Defense Ministry said in its morning report on Wednesday that it had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight, including in the regions of Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Bryansk and Tambov, as well as over the Sea of Azov. It did not mention the incident in North Ossetia-Alania.
Four people were also killed as a result of Ukrainian shelling in the town of Lago in the Kursk region, regional head Alexander Khinstein said. He said that three people were killed after several residential blocks and a beauty salon were targeted. Another person later died in hospital.
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