Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia launches ‘massive’ missile attack on Christmas as Moscow cargo ship sinks
One person killed and 15 injured in ballistic missile attack in Kryvyi Rih
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Your support makes all the difference.At least one person was killed and 15 injured in Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown after a ballistic missile struck an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih.
“The monsters landed a direct hit on a four-storey residential block with 32 apartments,” the head of the city’s military administration, Oleksandr Vilkul, wrote on Telegram.
One man whose body had been pulled from under the rubble could not be revived by medics, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said.
Earlier, a Russian cargo ship that Kyiv says was intended to collect weapons from military bases in Syria sunk on route in the Mediterranean Sea.
Officials in Moscow said two crew members are missing after an engine room explosion sank the Ursa Major between Spain and Algeria. Fourteen other crew were rescued and taken to Spain.
The vessel left the Russian port city of St Petersburg on 11 December, according to ship tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). It was last seen sending a signal at 10.04pm GMT on Monday between Algeria and Spain.
Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed on Monday that the ship had been sent to Syria to remove weapons and military materiel after the fall of Moscow-backed Bashar Al-Assad.
Six injured in Kharkiv as Russia launches major missile attack on Ukraine
Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy system and cities in its eastern region with cruise and ballistic missiles this morning, Ukraine’s energy minister and local officials said.
At least six people were wounded in a missile attack on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Ukrainian air forces said Kharkiv was attacked by ballistic missiles and Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app that there were “damages to civilian non-residential infrastructure”.
Separately, Dnipropetrovsk governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram: “Since the morning, the Russian army has been massively attacking the Dnipro region. It is trying to destroy the region’s power system.”
Ukraine’s energy minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook that Russia “is massively attacking the power sector” and that the transmission system operator had imposed restrictions on electricity supply to minimise the impact.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ukrainian military launched a countrywide air alert in response to Russian cruise missile launches.
The country’s largest private energy company DTEK said its generating facilities were attacked during the strike, causing “serious damages” to power equipment.
Russia attacked Ukraine’s DTEK power plants, says company
Russia attacked the power plants of Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, severely damaging equipment, the company said this morning.
“This year, it is the 13th massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector and the 10th massive attack on the company’s energy facilities,” it said on the Telegram messaging app.
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Russia attacks Ukraine energy system in major missile strike, Kyiv says
Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy system and cities in its eastern region with cruise and ballistic missiles on Christmas morning, Ukraine’s energy minister and local officials said.
At least three people were wounded in a missile attack on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Ukrainian air forces said Kharkiv was attacked by ballistic missiles and regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app that there were “damages to civilian non-residential infrastructure”.
Separately, Dnipropetrovsk governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram: “Since the morning, the Russian army has been massively attacking the Dnipro region. It is trying to destroy the region’s power system.”
Ukraine’s energy minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook that Russia “is massively attacking the power sector” and that the transmission system operator had imposed restrictions on electricity supply to minimise the impact.
North Korean troops in Russia pose limited impact, says Ukrainian official
The presence of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region has not substantially influenced the ongoing conflict, a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson has stated.
Yevgen Yerin, representing Ukraine’s military intelligence service, told AFP: “The involvement of the North Koreans in the fighting has not had a significant impact on the situation. It is not such a significant number of personnel.”
However, Mr Yerin cautioned against complacency, noting that the troops are gaining experience. “But they are also learning. And we cannot underestimate the enemy. And we can see that they are already taking some things into account in their activities,” he added.
Three injured in Russian missile attack on Kharkiv
At least three people have been injured in a Russian missile attack on Kharkiv, says the mayor.
Ukrainian air forces said Kharkiv was attacked by ballistic missiles, and local governor Oleh Syniehubov said on the Telegram messenger that there were “damages to civilian non-residential infrastructure”.
Zelensky celebrates Ukraine’s unity in Christmas message
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky marked Christmas with a message of unity, emphasising the strength and togetherness of his nation despite the ongoing challenges.
“For the second time, we celebrate Christmas on the same date as one big family, one country,” Mr Zelensky said in his address. “For the second time in modern history, Christmas unites all Ukrainians. Today, we stand side by side. And we will not be lost.”
Highlighting the enduring bonds among Ukrainians, Mr Zelensky called on citizens to connect with their loved ones, whether in person, through calls, or in spirit. “Whether in person or in our minds, we will greet each other, call our parents, kiss our children, hug our loved ones, and remember those we hold dear,” he stated.
He underscored the resilience and solidarity of Ukrainians, stressing that this unity is a powerful deterrent to adversity. “As long as we do this, evil has no chance,” Mr Zelensky declared, adding that the warmth shared among people is the essence of Christmas.
Concluding his message, Mr Zelensky extended his wishes to the nation, saying, “Merry Christmas to all of you! Christ is born! Glorify Him!”
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Russian missile strike kills one, injures 15 in Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih
A ballistic missile struck an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih yesterday, killing one person and injuring 15, four of them seriously, officials said.
Ukrainian officials denounced the Christmas Eve attack on the city, president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown.
“The monsters landed a direct hit on a four-storey residential block with 32 apartments,” the head of the city’s military administration, Oleksandr Vilkul, wrote on Telegram.
One man whose body had been pulled from under the rubble could not be revived by medics, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said.
Mr Vilkul later said that a woman had been rescued and taken to a hospital after spending four hours covered in rubble.
“While other countries of the world are celebrating Christmas, Ukrainians are continuing to suffer from endless Russian attacks,” Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram.
Governor Lysak posted photographs of rescuers trawling through a large pile of rubble, recovering a person covered in dust and loading them into an ambulance.
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