Dozens of missiles like those that left 16 dead and 72 injured in Kherson hit the unprecedented joint celebration of Catholics and Orthodox
While millions of families were carried away by the magic of Christmas in much of the world surrounded by lights, joy and gathered around a large table, Ukraine celebrated the date in darkness and restlessness. Immersed in a bloody war started ten months ago by Russia, which did not even spare the holiday to give a truce. Quite the opposite. The unusual celebration in which for the first time the majority Orthodox Church agreed to commemorate with the Catholics the birth of Jesus on December 25, apart from its traditional January 7, was devastated by a hail of bombs.
From the hours before Christmas Eve, the Kremlin showed its most bloodthirsty side. It did so in Kherson, where 74 Russian missiles and rockets shattered the few illusions of its residents by killing 16 people and injuring 72 others. The attack, described as an “act of terror” by Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, destroyed critical infrastructure facilities, private buildings, a hospital and a school. A whole blow in the heart of a city that kyiv recovered in November, in the midst of a successful counteroffensive after eight months of occupation.
The Kherson bombings were just a preview of the wave of attacks that Moscow launched throughout the night and early morning in regions such as Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv. The deafening noise of the bombs in the middle of Christmas added to the bloody clashes that Russian and Ukrainian troops are waging these days in the East and the incursions of Iranian bomb drones that have devastated the country’s energy infrastructure to leave it in the dark and without heating in the dead of winter.
It has been precisely the harshness of these ten months of war that have torn families apart and left thousands dead and many others missing that pushed the Orthodox Church to allow its faithful to commemorate December 25 to get closer to the tradition of their Catholic compatriots and of most western countries, which follow the Gregorian calendar. However, the celebration will be additional; since it will not replace January 7, the date on which about 80% of the Ukrainian population will celebrate Christmas again.
Despite the fact that these have been the toughest parties in decades in Ukraine, Zelensky sent a message of hope to his battered population. “No kamikaze plane is capable of putting out the Christmas aurora. We will see its glow even underground in a bomb shelter. We will fill our hearts with warmth and light”, he said, extolling the “spirit of steel” of a people who still do not see an end to the conflict in the medium term.
“Singing Christmas Carols”
“We will restore freedom to all Ukrainian men and women,” promised, in any case, the head of state. For this reason, he encouraged citizens to celebrate these holidays “as always”, “singing Christmas carols louder than the sound of a generator” or congratulating relatives “even if communication and Internet services do not work.” The mandatio said he was convinced that after so much “bitter news”, he had to receive “good news”.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denis Shmigal, expressed himself in a similar vein when congratulating his compatriots on the holidays. “War has separated many of us… Yet despite all the bombings and terrorist attacks, we will persevere. Neither the cold, nor the hunger, nor the darkness will despair us», he emphasized.
In order to stop the war as soon as possible and recover the territories seized by Vladimir Putin’s troops, kyiv has demanded more military aid from the West. That request has already resulted in the US decision to deliver the Patriot air defense system as well as a new aid package of 45,000 million dollars that adds to the assistance provided by the EU and NATO countries to may Christmas shine again in Ukraine.
Putin says he wants peace and asks for dialogue but kyiv rejects it
In clear contrast to the offensive carried out by his troops in the last few hours in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed to be in favor of peace and again conveyed to the kyiv authorities his willingness to talk. He made it known through an interview of which an excerpt was released on state television. The head of the Kremlin once again denounced the position of the Government of Volodimir Zelenski and his Western allies who, according to him, “reject negotiations.” Instead, he said he was “willing to negotiate with all participants in this process to find acceptable solutions.”
Putin also once again justified the invasion of Ukraine. “Our goal is to unite the Russian people,” said the president, who often refers to the concept of “historic Russia” to argue that Ukrainians and Russians are one people that their “geopolitical adversaries” seek to “divide.”
The Kremlin chief’s message was promptly responded to by kyiv. The main adviser to the Ukrainian Presidency, Mikhailo Podoliak, denied that Putin is interested in any negotiations, as it shows that he continues to “kill citizens” and that they are only trying to “evade their responsibilities.” Putin needs to come back to reality. We will see each other in court », he warned.
“I am going to remind those who propose to take into account Putin’s ‘peace’ initiatives that right now Russia is ‘negotiating’, killing the inhabitants of Kherson, destroying Bakhmut, destroying the networks of kyiv and Odessa, torturing civilians in Melitopol… Russia wants to kill with impunity,” Zelensky’s top adviser wrote on Twitter. “Killing women, children and the elderly on Christmas Eve! That is what Russian ‘peace’ is,’ he denounced.
Zelensky refuses to negotiate with Moscow “as long as Putin is president.” He also demands to recover the four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow at the end of September -Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson-, as well as the Crimean peninsula.
Topics
Vladimir Putin, Volodimir Zelensky, NATO, European Union (EU), Crimea, United States, Kharkov, kyiv, Moscow, Odesa, Russia, Ukraine, War in Ukraine
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