Russian forces conducted massive long-range precision strikes against targets in Ukraine on Wednesday morning, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has reported.
Missiles and drones were launched at “critically important objects of Ukrainian energy infrastructure supporting the operation of the military-industrial complex,” the ministry said in a regular update. The Russian military said it had achieved all the goals it set for the strikes.
Moscow used some 70 missiles and over 100 kamikaze drones in the attack, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Kuleba claimed. Targets in six regions of the country came under fire, the senior official said, blaming damage caused by the weapons for exacerbating power and heating problems in Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities announced rolling blackouts to stabilize the power grid, after detecting incoming Russian weapons. Energy Minister German Galuschenko said the measure was necessary to minimize the fallout from the expected damage.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed that Moscow deliberately “chose Christmas” for the strikes, referring to the fact that many Christians celebrate the holy day on Wednesday.
Orthodox Christians, the predominant religious denomination in Ukraine, use a different calendar and will celebrate Christmas on January 7. Kiev has been pushing the population to mark it Western-style rather than sticking to the traditional religious date as part of its campaign to sever all cultural and spiritual ties with Russia.
The Russian military previously reported the interception overnight of 59 Ukrainian drones launched against targets inside Russia. Of those, 26 robotic aircraft were downed over the border Belgorod Region, according to the statement.
On Wednesday morning, a powerful explosion rocked a shopping mall in the southern Russian city of Vladikavkaz, setting it on fire. Regional head Sergey Menyailo reported that it was likely caused by a downed plane-type drone, adding that investigators were looking for evidence at the scene. A woman was killed in the incident.