Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s ‘inhumane’ Christmas Day attack leaves half a million without heating
At least one person killed and six wounded as Putin launches more than 70 missiles at Ukraine on Christmas Day
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Your support makes all the difference.Half a million people have been left without heating in Kharkiv as Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a huge missile and drone attack on Ukraine, condemned as “inhumane” by Volodymyr Zelensky.
The strikes wounded at least six people in the city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, local governors said.
The Ukrainian president said more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine’s power sources. Kyiv managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones, he said.
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Mr Zelensky said. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the “bloody and brutal” attacks, “with no respite, even at Christmas”.
It came a day after at least one person was killed and 15 injured in Mr Zelensky’s hometown after a ballistic missile struck an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih.
Ukraine officially marks Christmas Day on 25 December for second year
This is the second year that Ukraine has officially celebrated Christmas on December 25, in a move to separate itself from Russia’s cultural influence.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Ukraine’s Orthodox Christians, celebrates Christmas on January 7, following the ancient Julian calendar.
Last year Mr Zelensky signed a law moving Ukraine’s official Christmas Day to December 25, with a goal of abandoning the “Russian heritage” of the Orthodox Christmas.
Russia accuses Nato of trying to turn Moldova into a logistical centre to supply Ukrainian army
Russia’s foreign ministry has claimed Nato is trying to turn Moldova into a logistical centre to supply the Ukrainian army and bring its military infrastrucure closer to Russia.
Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokesperson, made the accusation at a weekly news briefing during which she claimed the majority of Moldova’s population did not want to join the military alliance.
She cited what she said was a large transfer of weapons to Moldova in recent months and what she said were the pro-Western views of Moldova’s president Maia Sandu.
Starmer says it is ‘vital we redouble our resolve to bolster Ukraine’
Here are more of the comments from Sir Keir Starmer on Vladimir Putin’s Christmas Day attacks on Ukraine.
The prime minister said: “I condemn this ongoing assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“I pay tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the leadership of President Zelensky, in the face of further drone and missile attacks from Putin’s bloody and brutal war machine, with no respite, even at Christmas.
“As we go into the New Year, it remains vital that we redouble our resolve to place Ukraine in the strongest possible position to end Russia’s illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people.”
Russian missile passes into Moldovan and Romanian airspace, Kyiv says
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said one Russian missile passed into Moldovan and Romanian airspace, as Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Russia says aim of its ‘massive’ strikes on Ukraine was achieved
Russia’s defence ministry has confirmed it conducted a “massive strike” on what it claimed were critical energy facilities supporting the work of Kyiv’s “military-industrial complex”.
“The aim of the strike was achieved. All facilities have been hit,” it said in a statement.
One person was killed and at least six wounded, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine’s energy minister German Galushchenko warned that restrictions on the country’s electricity supply were in place as a result.
Watch: Moment Russian cargo ship tilts before sinking in Mediterranean
Russian governor says Ukrainian drone debris caused fatal fire in shopping centre
Falling debris from a Ukrainian drone that was shot down caused an explosion and a fatal fire in a shopping centre in the city of Vladikavkaz in Russia’s North Ossetia region, the local governor has said.
Sergei Menyailo, the regional governor, alleged that air defence systems shot down the drone at 8:3am Moscow time.
One woman was reported to have been killed inside the shopping centre. The governor’s assertion could not be immediately verified.
Russia’s defence ministry said 119 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed in the last 24 hours.
Ukraine’s air defences shoots down nearly 60 Russian missiles
Ukraine’s military said its air defences downed 59 Russian missiles and 54 drones overnight and on Wednesday morning.
Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine’s power sources, in what he called an “inhumane” attack on Christmas Day.
Starmer condemns ‘bloody and brutal’ Russian strikes on Ukraine
British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Russia’s “bloody and brutal” strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid “with no respite even at Christmas”.
Pope Francis calls for talks to end Ukraine war in Christmas message
Pope Francis has used his Christmas message to call for talks between Kyiv and Moscow to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In his Christmas Day address, the Catholic leader mentioned the Ukraine conflict directly and called for “the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation”.
Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to thousands of people in the square below, the pope said: “May the sound of arms be silenced in war-torn Ukraine!”
He also called for “gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace”.
Francis, who has been pope since 2013, was criticised by Ukrainian officials this year when he said the country should have the courage of the “white flag” to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
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