Russia launches more than 650 drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine – Zelensky
Overnight and in the morning, Russia launched more than 650 drones at Ukraine, a significant number of them Shahed-type UAVs, as well as more than three dozen missiles. At least 13 regions were targeted.
According to Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote this on Facebook.
“Since last night, Russia has been carrying out a massive attack on Ukraine – primarily targeting our energy sector and civilian infrastructure, essentially the entire infrastructure of daily life. Over 650 drones have already been launched, a significant number of them were Shaheds. More than 30 missiles were also used,” Zelensky noted.
As of now, air raid alerts remain in effect across most of Ukraine. At the same time, all necessary services have been engaged to deal with the consequences of the attack.
“Tragically, lives were lost. In the Kyiv region, a woman was killed by a Russian drone. One person was pronounced dead in the Khmelnytskyi region. In the Zhytomyr region, a four-year-old child was killed after a Russian drone struck a residential building. My condolences to the families and loved ones,” the President emphasized.
“A significant number of drones and missiles were shot down. Detailed information from the Air Force will be provided later, once all reports are received. However, there were also hits. Repair crews and energy workers are already on the ground, working to ensure normal life for people, our cities, and our communities,” Zelensky stressed.
According to him, this Russian strike sends an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities.
“An attack ahead of Christmas, when people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe. An attack was carried out essentially in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war. Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing. And that means that the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia,” the Head of State emphasized.
He called on the international community to respond.
“Russia must be pushed toward peace and guaranteed security. We must remember that every single day, on weekdays and holidays alike, Ukraine is defending human lives. Air defense for Ukraine, funding for weapons procurement, and the supply of energy equipment are processes that do not pause for weekends. We must remain committed to protecting life to finally achieve peace. Thank you to everyone who is helping Ukraine! Thank you to every leader and every politician who will not remain silent today and who will condemn Russia for what it has done,” Zelensky concluded.
At the same time, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko added that during the combined attack, Ukraine’s energy facilities came under fire, primarily in the western regions.
“Immediately after the overnight shelling, we coordinated all services to deal with the consequences of today’s attack. The enemy used more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles. This was a deliberate, cynical Russian strike on the eve of Christmas. At a time when people are preparing for the holiday, the enemy tried to leave Ukrainian families without electricity, heat, and a sense of security,” Svyrydenko emphasized.
Currently, emergency power outage schedules are being applied nationwide as a forced measure. They will be cancelled immediately after the situation in the energy system stabilizes.
Regional military administrations and all relevant services are already working to restore the electricity supply to people as quickly as possible. All available resources have been mobilized for this purpose. Further updates on the condition of the energy system will be provided by the Ministry of Energy jointly with Ukrenergo.
As reported by Ukrinform, Russia carried out a massive attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, prompting the introduction of emergency power outages in several regions.
Photos: State Emergency Service of Ukraine