Kyiv, Ukraine — On Wednesday, Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, striking a thermal power plant and forcing Ukrainians to take cover in subway stations on Christmas morning.
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In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that more than 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine's electricity sources.
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhuman?” – said Zelensky. “They continue to fight for power outage in Ukraine.”
According to him, Ukraine managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said that Russia is again “massively attacking the energy infrastructure.” The Air Force of Ukraine recorded numerous missile attacks on the Kharkiv, Dnieper and Poltava regions in the east of the country.
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“The (electricity) distribution system operator takes the necessary measures to limit consumption in order to minimize negative consequences for the power system,” he said. “As soon as the security situation allows, the energy companies will establish the damage caused.”
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said Russia had 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 who celebrate Christmas is a depraved and evil act that must be answered,” Maksim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, wrote on his X account.
Ukraine's state-owned energy operator Ukrenergo imposed preemptive blackouts across the country due to a “massive missile strike” that knocked out power in several areas of the capital, Kyiv.
At least seven strikes were carried out in Kharkiv, causing fires throughout the city, Oleg Sinegubav, the head of the region, wrote in Telegram. At least three people were injured, local authorities said.
“Kharkov is under massive rocket fire. A series of explosions rang out in the city, ballistic missiles are still flying in the direction of the city. Stay in safe places,” said Mayor of Kharkiv Igor Tserakhov.
Since then, Ukraine's energy network has been under severe attack Russia launched a full scale invasion in February 2022, when Kyiv accused Moscow of “terrorist” tactics by trying to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and turn off heating to civilians for the entire winter.