In Christmas Day attack, Russia fires massive missile barrage at Ukrainian energy sites

Russia launches a massive missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, striking a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.

Ukrainian energy minister Herman Halushchenko says Russia again “massively attacks energy infrastructure,” in a Facebook statement. Ukraine’s Air Force says multiple missiles were fired at Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Poltava regions east of the country.

“The (electricity) distribution system operator takes the necessary measures to limit consumption to minimize negative consequences for the power system,” Halushchenko says. “As soon as the security situation allows, energy workers will establish the damage caused.”

Ukraine’s biggest private energy company, DTEK, says Russia struck one of their thermal power plants Wednesday morning, making it the 13th attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year.

Ukrainian state energy operator Ukrenergo applies preemptive power outages across the country, due to a “massive missile attack,” leading to electricity going out in several districts of the capital, Kyiv.

At least seven strikes targeted Kharkiv sparking fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov writes on Telegram. At least three people were injured, local authorities say.