Russia launched an extensive series of airstrikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early on Christmas Day.
Ukrainian officials say the strikes aimed to cripple power and heating facilities, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians without electricity or warmth at the height of winter.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the strikes involved nearly 200 missiles—ranging from cruise to ballistic—and over 100 drones, many of which targeted critical power plants.
Ukraine’s Air Force claims to have intercepted and destroyed 59 missiles and 54 drones, but at least five people were reported killed.
Officials said that the focus on vital utilities resulted in blackouts across multiple regions of Ukraine. Ukrainian state media reports equipment at several power plants sustained severe damage and that power networks have been attacked more than 200 times since the start of the war. By midday Christmas Day, approximately half a million Ukrainians remained without heat.
President Zelensky sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for choosing Christmas Day to launch what he called an “inhuman” strike, declaring, “Every massive Russian strike requires time for preparation… Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?”
In response to the Russian onslaught, President Joe Biden announced on Christmas Day that he has directed the Pentagon to ramp up weapons shipments to Ukraine.
“The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter,” Biden said. “Let me be clear: the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety, and the United States and the international community must continue to stand with Ukraine until it triumphs over Russia’s aggression.”
Already, Washington has committed an estimated $175 billion in support for Ukraine since the conflict began. The promise of additional resources can escalate U.S. involvement in a war that shows little sign of ending soon.
President-elect Donald Trump—slated to take office on January 20—has stated that he wants to bring the war to a swift resolution. Trump’s choice for special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, condemned Russia’s decision to launch an attack on Christmas Day but also emphasized that Americans are closely monitoring Ukraine’s actions.
“Christmas should be a time of peace, yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day,” Kellogg wrote on social media. “Launching large-scale missile and drone attacks on the day of the Lord’s birth is wrong. The world is closely watching actions on both sides. The U.S. is more resolved than ever to bring peace to the region.”
The real question is whether stepping up military aid is the best path to ending the conflict. With renewed American commitments and Trump set to take office in under a month, the world watches to see how U.S. policy will evolve—and whether a path to peace emerges after these high-profile Christmas attacks.