Starmer condemns Russia’s Christmas Day strikes on Ukraine power grid

Russia’s “bloody and brutal war machine” has shown no respite “even at Christmas”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, as he condemned strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid.

Moscow has launched a massive missile barrage on Christmas Day, with the aim of crippling energy infrastructure sites across Ukraine.

More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles and more than 100 drones, were used in the attack, according to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

He added: “I pay tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the leadership of President Zelensky, in the face of further drone and missile attacks from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s bloody and brutal war machine, with no respite, even at Christmas.”

He added: “As we go into the New Year, it remains vital that we redouble our resolve to place Ukraine in the strongest possible position to end Russia’s illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people.”

On X, formerly Twitter, Mr Zelensky wrote: “Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?”

He said 50 missiles and a “significant” number of drones had been shot down.

He added: “Unfortunately, there have been hits. As of now, there are power outages in several regions. Power engineers are working to restore power supply as soon as possible.”

This is the second year that Ukraine has officially celebrated Christmas on December 25, in a move to separate itself from Russia’s cultural influence.

The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Ukraine’s Orthodox Christians, celebrates Christmas on January 7, following the ancient Julian calendar.

Last year Mr Zelensky signed a law moving Ukraine’s official Christmas Day to December 25, with a goal of abandoning the “Russian heritage” of the Orthodox Christmas.