Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky condemns ‘inhumane’ Christmas Day missile attack

The Russian strikes condemned as “inhumane” by Volodymyr Zelensky have wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, the governors there said.

Half a million people in Kharkiv region were left without heating, in temperatures just a few degrees Celsius above zero, while there were blackouts in the capital Kyiv and elsewhere.

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.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed and wounded in Russia’s Kursk region.

“There are risks of North Korea sending additional troops and military equipment to the Russian army,” Mr Zelensky said after receiving a report from his top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, adding: “We will have tangible responses to this.”

The estimate is higher than that provided by South Korea’s military, which said that at least 1,100 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.

Mr Zelensky said he was citing preliminary data. However, the figures of combat casualties could not be independently verified.

Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned an “inhumane” attack by Russia on Christmas Day.

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. Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said one Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace.

“Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Mr Zelensky said. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”

He said Ukraine has managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones.

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 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.

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.

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.

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”.