by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
MOSCOW/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Millions of Ukrainians spent Christmas without electricity after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure killed civilians and triggered widespread power outages, Ukrainian officials said.
At least four people were reportedly killed and more than a dozen injured in attacks across several regions, including Kherson, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.
In Chernihiv, a drone strike on a residential building killed an elderly woman and critically wounded others, while shelling in Kherson killed a market worker and destroyed stall, officials said.
Ukraine responded with strikes deep inside Russia, hitting the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the Rostov region with British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to Ukraine’s General Staff, which reported multiple explosions at the site.
Officials said the refinery supplies fuel to Russian forces.
Ukrainian long-range drones also set oil product tanks ablaze at Russia’s port of Temryuk in the Krasnodar region and struck a major gas processing plant in Orenburg, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the Ukrainian border, as Kyiv seeks to cut Moscow’s war revenues, authorities raid.
Ukrainian forces also reported a surprise takeover of a town near the front lines, dealing a setback to Russian positions despite winter conditions, underscoring Kyiv’s capacity for sudden counter-operations.
DISSENT IN RUSSIA LEADS TO PRISON
Criticism of the war inside Russia remains dangerous.
A Moscow court sentenced left-wing Kremlin critic Sergei Udaltsov to six years in a penal colony Thursday for “justifying terrorism,” a case rights groups say highlights the tightening crackdown under Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The fighting has heightened regional tensions. NATO member Poland said it scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft near its airspace over the Baltic Sea, as allies remain on heightened alert amid repeated incidents.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has visited frontline troops, said he held “very good” talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. presidential adviser Jared Kushner on steps toward ending the war.
Zelenskyy said the hour-long discussions covered formats for meetings, substance, and possible timelines, describing “good ideas” aimed at bringing lasting peace closer.
Moscow said it is reviewing the U.S.-backed peace proposal discussed with Zelenskyy and acknowledged “slow but steady progress” in talks with Washington.
However Russia accused Western European governments of trying to undermine negotiations.
Russian officials have rejected calls for a Christmas ceasefire and said any settlement must address what they call Russia’s security concerns. Despite diplomatic contacts, the war showed no sign of easing, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt as winter deepens.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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