Putin is ‘inhumane,’ Zelensky says, as Russia pounds the Ukrainian electrical grid on Christmas Day.

Published 1:40 PM ET, Thursday December 26, 2024

President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Putin after Russia attacked Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure on Christmas Day.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest energy provider, reported that Putin’s forces launched their 13th significant strike on the country’s power grid. The most recent incident claimed the life of one individual in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. Six people were injured in Kharkiv, which is fewer than 20 miles from Russia’s border.

Ukraine’s national police announced the news, stating that the strike destroyed residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. According to President Zelensky, Russia launched over 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, as well as over 100 attack drones, attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He said that more than 50 missiles were shot down, as well as a “significant” number of drones.

Zelensky responded to the incident that left half a million households without power on Christmas day. They had no heating as the harsh Ukrainian winter temperatures dropped to around 3 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit).

“Every massive Russian strike requires time for preparation,” he said. “It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice—not only of targets but also of timing and date.”

“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?”

The attack comes just a year after Zelensky signed a law formally changing the date of Christmas to December 25, further aligning Ukraine with the rest of the world instead of the practices of the Russian Orthodox Church, who celebrate Christmas on January 7.