On Christmas Eve, Russia hit Ukraine again, killing at least three civilians and hurting others. European leaders said again that they will support Kyiv in the long run.
According to Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, attacks in Odesa killed one person and injured two. He said one civilian was also killed in the Kharkiv region and another in the Chernihiv region, with additional injuries reported in the Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions. Virginia Times could not independently verify the casualty figures.
Sybiha claimed that Odesa has been “suffering the most these days,” and blamed Russia for purposely attacking energy and civilian infrastructure, leaving people without power, water, and heat amid the cold. He pointed to Article II (c) of the 1948 Genocide Convention and said that the strikes were meant to “deliberately inflict” conditions that would lead to destruction “in whole or in part.” Sybiha urged the world to increase pressure on Russia and bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.
European leaders also used the holiday period to signal sustained support.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president said he met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to review the situation in Ukraine and work tied to the “Coalition of the Willing.” Macron said the effort will continue in Paris in January, focused on “strong security guarantees” for Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president also said the EU has provided €193 billion in financial, military and humanitarian support and has agreed on an additional €90 billion over the next two years.
