Tragedy struck Ukraine on Christmas Day 2024, deeply affecting the war-torn country. Russia launched an “inhumane” attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, setting off explosions across the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The attacks marked Russia’s 13th major assault on Ukraine’s power grid this year, leaving the country in a precarious position as the war enters its third winter.
The aftermath of the assault has been devastating, with at least one person killed in the attacks in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region and six injured in Kharkiv, less than 20 kilometres from the Russian border. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure have been damaged. At least seven missile strikes have targeted the city, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. As a result, several hundred thousand homes in the Kharkiv region are without heat, as temperatures hover around 3 degrees Celsius. In Kyiv, power outages have been introduced to stabilize the grid, DTEK, the country’s largest energy supplier, reported.
The attacks come as Ukraine recently changed the date of Christmas from January 7 to December 25, to mark its independence from the Russian Orthodox Church and align its traditions with those of Western Europe. The creation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 2018 strengthened the link between religious affiliation and national identity.
Russia’s deliberate choice to attack Ukraine on Christmas Day has sparked outrage and disbelief. As Zelensky pointed out, every massive Russian strike is the result of careful planning, and the Christmas Day attack was a deliberate and cruel decision.
The human and material consequences of these acts of violence are heartbreaking. The Russian attacks have severely damaged DTEK thermal power plant facilities across the country. This is the thirteenth major attack on Ukraine’s energy sector this year and the tenth attack on the company’s energy facilities. Thermal power plants have been bombed more than 200 times since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
The repercussions of these attacks extend beyond Ukraine’s borders. Moldovan and Romanian airspace have also been threatened by Russian missiles, drawing unanimous condemnation from the international community. Solidarity with Ukraine was expressed across Eastern Europe, while Poland was forced to deploy fighter jets in response to a Russian missile threat in western Ukraine..
In this time of celebration and peace, Ukraine is facing violence and destruction. It is imperative that the international community condemn these barbaric acts and provide unwavering support to Ukraine in its quest for peace and stability.