“The goals are our energy infrastructure. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine,” Zelensky added.

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Facebook that the transmission system operator “has taken the necessary measures to limit consumption in order to minimize the negative consequences for the energy system.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrei Sybiha took a swipe at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and called for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which Zelensky rejected during a summit of EU leaders he attended on December 19.

According to media reports, half a million people in the devastated Kharkiv region were left without heat, while there were power outages in Kiev.

Ukraine changed the date of Christmas in 2023 from January 7th – the date celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church – to December 25th to distance itself from Russian religious and cultural influence.

“Russian evil will not destroy Ukraine and will not spoil Christmas,” Zelensky concluded.