Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly condemned the massive Russian attack on January 8–9, emphasizing that Russia is exploiting the cold weather to target as many energy facilities and civilian infrastructures in Ukraine as possible.
According to Zelensky, the attack involved over 200 drones, 13 ballistic missiles against energy and civilian targets, a medium-range ballistic missile “Oreshnik” (used again, this time targeting the Lviv region near EU borders), as well as 22 cruise missiles.
He described this as a clear tactic aimed at hitting cities and leaving people without electricity, heating, and water in the midst of a harsh winter.
The strike on Kyiv was particularly severe: four people lost their lives, including an ambulance worker and other emergency personnel, while approximately 25–30 others were injured, including doctors, rescuers, and police officers.
More than 20 high-rise residential buildings were damaged, along with the Qatar Embassy (a state involved in prisoner exchanges), a tram depot, a supermarket, a gas station, a kindergarten, and various vehicles.
The attacks mainly targeted Kyiv but also affected regions such as Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Lviv, and others.
Zelensky highlighted that repair workers are operating at full capacity across the country—including Kyiv, Kyiv region, Dnipro, Lviv, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv—to restore electricity and heating as quickly as possible.
He criticized Russia for its lack of respect for diplomacy and the United States:
“The Russians are exploiting the cold weather and attempting to strike as many of our energy facilities as possible. This clearly shows how much they respect America and diplomacy worldwide.”
Zelensky reiterated that the attacks have no military justification but are intended to torture civilians and break the spirit of Ukrainians. He called for a clear and immediate response from the international community, especially the United States, as well as continued support for Ukraine’s air defense.
