Vladimir Putin has been accused by Kyiv of launching a series of “inhuman” strikes towards Ukraine’s energy grid on Christmas Day.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia sent more than 70 missiles and more than 100 drones across the country on December 25.
More than 500,000 people were left without heating in Ukraine’s below freezing temperatures, while many others faced blackouts.
At least six were wounded and one killed, according to Reuters.
Ukraine’s air defences supposedly took down 59 of the missiles and 54 drones while Moldova said one Russian missile crossed into its airspace during the attack.
In a message released on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said: “Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack.
“What could be more inhuman? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than a hundred attack drones.”
He added: “Russian evil will not break Ukraine and will not ruin Christmas.”
The attack came as Ukraine was celebrating Christmas on December 25 for only the second time.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine chose to move the Christian day of celebration from January 7 to 13 days before to symbolise Ukraine’s shift away from Russian traditions in 2023 – a decision that came almost two years of Russian bombardment.
The Russian Orthodox Church – which still claims sovereignty over Ukraine’s orthodox Christians – marks Christmas in early January in line with the ancient Julian calendar.
In January 2023, Putin offered a 36-hour ceasefire to Ukraine so both countries could honour Orthodox Christmas, but Kyiv rejected his suggestion.
This year, as Ukrainians honoured their new Christmas day, Russia’s defence ministry said it had conducted a “massive strike” on the critical energy facilities supporting Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex”.
It wrote in a statement: “The aim of the strike was achieved. All facilities have been hit.”
UK prime minister Keir Starmer condemned Putin for his attack on Christmas Day, saying: “I pay tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the leadership of president Zelenskyy, 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 Ukraine in the strongest possible position to end Russia’s illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people.”
Outgoing US president Joe Biden also called the strikes “outrageous” and said the attack was meant to “cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardise the safety of its grid”.