On Christmas Day, Russia launched a brutal assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and several cities with a barrage of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones, which Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky described as an "inhuman" attack. The strikes wounded at least six people in Kharkiv, while one person was killed in Dnipropetrovsk. In the Kharkiv region, half a million people were left without heating amid freezing temperatures, while blackouts affected Kyiv and other areas.

Zelensky condemned the attack, saying, "Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhuman? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and over a hundred drones." Russia's Defence Ministry acknowledged the strike, claiming that it had successfully targeted critical energy facilities supporting Kyiv's military efforts. The Ministry stated that all intended facilities were hit.

Ukraine's military reported that its air defenses intercepted 59 Russian missiles and 54 drones overnight and into Wednesday morning.

The attack came as Ukrainians marked their second Christmas based on the new calendar, a move distancing the country from Russian influence. Most Ukrainians belong to the Orthodox Church, which switched to the new calendar in 2023, diverging from the Russian tradition of celebrating Christmas on January 7.

Since spring, Russia has ramped up its attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector, severely damaging nearly half of the country's power generation capacity and causing widespread blackouts. The Ukrainian air force confirmed that Kharkiv was hit by ballistic missiles, and Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported damage to civilian infrastructure. In Dnipropetrovsk, the governor said the fatality was caused by an attack on regional power facilities.

Energy Minister German Galushchenko confirmed the massive assault on the energy sector, with electricity restrictions imposed across the country. DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, also reported significant damage to its power equipment in what marked the 13th large-scale attack on the energy sector this year.

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko appealed for more air defense ammunition to protect Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink also condemned the attacks, calling them Russia's "Christmas gift" to Ukraine, emphasizing that for the third consecutive holiday season, Russia has weaponized winter.