President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults in months, striking at least 13 regions overnight with drones and missiles that killed three civilians, including a four‑year‑old child. The attacks damaged energy infrastructure and residential buildings, leaving thousands without electricity as winter temperatures drop.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting dozens of drones, but officials said the sheer scale of the barrage overwhelmed defenses. In Zhytomyr, a four‑year‑old girl died when her home was hit. In Kyiv, a 76‑year‑old woman was killed and three others injured, including a teenager. Another fatality was reported in Khmelnytskyi.
“This was a massive strike, a clear signal about Russia’s priorities,” Zelensky said in a video address. “They are not interested in peace, only in terror.”
Defense analysts warned the attacks highlight Russia’s ability to sustain long‑range strikes despite Western sanctions. “This is not just about military targets,” said Michael Clarke, former director of the Royal United Services Institute in London. “It’s about breaking civilian morale and testing NATO’s resolve.”
Poland scrambled fighter jets during the assault, underscoring fears of spillover into NATO territory. “We are monitoring every missile trajectory,” Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz said. “Any violation of our airspace will be treated as a direct threat.”
Humanitarian organizations expressed alarm at the timing of the strikes, which came just days before Christmas. “Targeting energy facilities in freezing conditions is a violation of humanitarian norms,” said Amnesty International in a statement.
On social media, Ukrainians shared images of destroyed homes and darkened city streets. One widely circulated post read, “We celebrate Christmas in the cold, but we celebrate it alive. Russia cannot take that away.” Others voiced frustration at what they see as insufficient Western support. “How many more children must die before the world acts?” a user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Key opinion leaders in Europe echoed those concerns. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the strikes should “accelerate delivery of air defense systems” to Ukraine. In Washington, lawmakers debated whether additional funding for Kyiv should be tied to broader U.S. defense priorities.
The attacks have reignited debate over the trajectory of the war as it enters its fourth year. For Zelensky, the tragedy underscores his message: Ukraine’s survival depends not only on its own resilience but on the continued backing of its allies.
