Firefighters tackle a blazing building in the Zhytomyr region. (Image: Volodymyr Zelensky)
NATO has been pushed to scramble warplanes on Christmas Day as unleashes a missile attack and kamikaze drone strikes on targets across .
’s savage attack using warplanes, missiles and drones hit key civilian infrastructure including power plants and supply networks.
Many Ukrainians are now left freezing over the festive period as a result.
Russian missiles reportedly had flown over Moldova, crossing the territory of the NATO country Romania which prompted the fighter jets to react, .
The Polish armed forces announced that its commander had “activated all available forces and resources at his disposal, the on-duty fighter pairs were scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness”.
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NATO have scrambled warplanes in response to the attack. (Image: Volodymyr Zelensky)
Ukrainian president has claimed that over 70 missiles and 100 drones were unleashed on his country, labelling Putin as “evil”.
Mr Zelensky commented: “Every massive Russian strike requires time for preparation. It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice – not only of targets but also of timing and date.
“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane? Over 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred attack drones. The targets are our energy infrastructure. They continue to fight for a blackout in .
“According to preliminary reports, our defenders managed to shoot down more than 50 missiles and a significant number of drones. 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.
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“I thank everyone who is working for the country, who is on combat duty, who is protecting our skies. We will restore the maximum. Russian evil will not break and will not spoil Christmas.”
Many civilians are forced to spend the festive holiday hiding in bomb shelters.
UK Prime Minister Sir said: “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 Putin’s bloody and brutal war machine, with no respite, even at Christmas.
“As we go into the New Year, it remains vital that we redouble our resolve to place in the strongest possible position to end ‘s illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people.”