Russia Ukraine war latest: Zelensky condemns Putin’s massive Christmas Day missile attack as ‘inhumane’

Almost 47 percent of Ukrainians think the country should join NATO even if some of the territories are under Russian occupation, a new survey shows.

Research findings of the Ilko Kučeriva Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and the Razumkov Center, reports Kyiv Independentthey are largely in line with the proposals made recently by Volodymr Zelensky for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Recent polls show a 14 percent increase from a similar survey conducted in June 2023.

At least six people were wounded in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and one was killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region in the Russian strikes, which Volodymyr Zelensky condemned as “inhumane,” governors there said.

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

The Ukrainian president said more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to attack Ukrainian power sources. Kiev managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones, he said.

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

“There are risks that North Korea will send additional troops and military equipment to the Russian army,” Zelensky said after receiving a report from his top military commander Alexander Sirsky, adding: “We will have tangible answers to this.”

The estimate is higher than that given by South Korea’s military, which said at least 1,100 North Korean soldiers were killed or wounded.

Zelenski said that he was referring to preliminary data. However, battle casualty figures could not be independently verified.

Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s “inhumane” attack on Christmas.

The Ukrainian president said more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to attack Ukrainian power sources. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that a Russian missile passed through Moldovan and Romanian airspace.

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

He said that Ukraine 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 this morning with cruise and ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s energy minister and local officials said.

At least six people were wounded in a rocket attack on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Ukraine’s air force said Kharkiv was attacked with ballistic missiles, and Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app that there had been “damage to civilian non-residential infrastructure”.

Separately, Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram: “The Russian army has been massively attacking the Dnieper region since morning. He is trying to destroy the energy system of the region.”

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said on Facebook that Russia was “massively attacking the energy sector” and that the transmission system operator had imposed restrictions on electricity supply to reduce the impact.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ukraine’s military launched a nationwide air alert in response to the launch of Russian cruise missiles.

The country’s largest private energy company DTEK said its production facilities were attacked during the strike, causing “serious damage” to energy equipment.

Russia attacked the power plants of Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK, severely damaging the equipment, the company announced this morning.

“This year, this is the 13th massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector and the 10th massive attack on the company’s energy facilities,” the Telegram messaging app said.

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 rocket attack on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday morning, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Ukraine’s air force said Kharkiv had been hit by ballistic missiles, and regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app that there had been “damage to civilian non-residential infrastructure”.

Separately, Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram: “The Russian army has been massively attacking the Dnieper region since morning. He is trying to destroy the energy system of the region.”

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said on Facebook that Russia was “massively attacking the energy sector” and that the transmission system operator had imposed restrictions on electricity supply to reduce the impact.

The presence of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region has not significantly affected the ongoing conflict, said a spokesman for Ukraine’s military intelligence service.

Yevgen Yerin, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, told AFP: “The participation of the North Koreans in the fighting did not have a significant impact on the situation. It’s not such a significant number of staff.”

However, Mr Yerin cautioned against complacency, noting that the troops were gaining experience. “But they’re also learning. And we cannot underestimate the enemy. And we see that they are already taking some things into account in their activities,” he added.