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Russia Fires 70 Missiles, 100 Drones on Ukraine; Zelensky Condemns 'Inhumane' Attack

Dec 25, 2024, 12:00 PM

On December 25, 2024, Christmas Day, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, marking the 13th such assault on the sector this year. The attacks targeted cities across the country, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zaporizhzhya regions, causing significant power and heating outages. Ukrainian officials reported that more than 70 missiles—including Kalibr, X-101, and X-55 cruise missiles—and over 100 drones were deployed in the strikes. The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted and shot down 59 cruise missiles and 54 drones, with 500,000 people left without heating in the Kharkiv region alone. At least one person was killed and several others were injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks as 'inhumane' and criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for deliberately attacking on Christmas Day.