Russian Drone Barrage Kills Civilians Across Ukraine on Christmas Morning, Officials Say

Ukrainian authorities reported a series of deadly Russian drone strikes carried out over Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, describing the attacks as among the most intense in recent weeks and accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. The strikes killed multiple people across several regions and left dozens injured, according to regional and national officials.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 131 drones overnight, the majority of them Iranian‑designed Shahed models, in a wave that stretched from late December 24 into the early hours of December 25. Air defenses intercepted or suppressed 106 drones, but 22 managed to strike targets across 15 locations, causing widespread damage and casualties.

Casualties Across Multiple Regions

Local authorities confirmed fatalities in several parts of the country.

• In the Odesa region, a drone strike killed one person and injured two others, damaging port and energy infrastructure along the Black Sea coast.
• In Kharkiv, one person was killed and at least 15 were injured in what officials described as a “massive” overnight assault on residential areas.
• In the Chernihiv region, two people were killed and two more injured after drones struck a village north of Kyiv. Officials said the region “marked Christmas under fire” as emergency crews worked through the night to contain the damage.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported emergency shutdowns and power outages across multiple regions as a result of the strikes, with repair crews deployed despite ongoing air‑raid alerts.

Kyiv Accuses Russia of Targeting Civilians

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attacks, saying Russia had “no military purpose” in striking civilian areas during the holiday period. He accused Moscow of intentionally attempting to “kill Ukrainians even on the holy Christmas night,” citing casualties in Odesa, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy regions.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a separate statement earlier in the week, said Russia’s continued use of drones and missiles demonstrated its refusal to engage meaningfully in ceasefire discussions. He noted that recent attacks had involved more than 650 drones and dozens of missiles across at least 13 regions, including strikes that killed a four‑year‑old child in Zhytomyr just days before Christmas.

A Holiday Marked by Air‑Raid Sirens

The Christmas attacks came amid freezing winter temperatures and ongoing power shortages, compounding the hardship for millions of Ukrainians. Air‑raid sirens sounded repeatedly across the country throughout the night, with officials urging residents to remain in shelters as drones continued to circle overhead.

By Thursday morning, Ukrainian air‑defense units warned that additional drones were still in the air, and emergency responders were continuing to assess damage and search for survivors in affected areas.

No Indication of a Ceasefire

The strikes occurred despite international diplomatic efforts to secure a temporary Christmas ceasefire. Hopes for such an agreement had already faded earlier in the week, as Russia intensified its aerial campaign and Ukrainian officials reported escalating cross‑border attacks.

Analysts say the scale of the drone barrage underscores Russia’s continued reliance on long‑range unmanned systems to pressure Ukraine’s energy grid and civilian morale during the winter months.

For many Ukrainians, Christmas morning began not with celebration but with explosions, power outages, and the grim task of counting the dead.