Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy painted a picture of struggle and resilience in an emotional Christmas message.
The video message was circulated on Christmas Eve, precisely 10 months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
“We have endured attacks, threats, nuclear blackmail, terror and missile strikes. Let us get through this winter because we know what we are fighting for,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president stood in front of a darkened street, with a few twinkling lights and a Christmas tree in the background.
“We believe that tears will give way to joy, that hope will come after despair and death will be defeated by life,” Zelenskyy said.
His remarks came as Russia launched a deadly barrage of shelling on Saturday that targeted the southern port city of Kherson. Ten people were killed and 55 injured during the attacks.
With repeated Russian strikes targeting critical infrastructure in Ukraine, many across the country have faced power outages and no heating in recent weeks.
The president emphasized, however, that Moscow’s attacks have not broken the spirit of the holiday.
“And even in total darkness, we will find each other to hug tightly. And if there is no heating, we will warm ourselves with a big hug,” Zelensky said.
“We will not wait for a miracle, we will do it ourselves,” he added.
While Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, December 25 is also designated as an official Christmas holiday.
Here are the other main headlines from the war in Ukraine on Sunday, December 25:
Several killed while demining Kherson
Three emergency service workers died while attempting to remove mines around the Kherson region.
“All three selflessly served in the emergency and rescue squad of the Special Purpose Unit of the State Department of Ukraine in Zhytomyr region and performed the task of demining territories liberated from the enemy in the Kherson region,” the Zhytomyr emergency service said on its Facebook page.
Ukrainian explosives experts have been sent across the country after Ukrainian officials warned that Russia likely left numerous explosives in the ground.
The US State Department estimates that some 160,000 square kilometers (62,000 square miles) of land in Ukraine needs to be checked for mines and other explosives. The search area is larger than half of Germany’s total area of land.
More on the war
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will use his Christmas speech to call for peace in Ukraine after 10 months of “terrible suffering.” When peace comes, he said, it must benefit the Ukrainian people and not Russia.
rs/sri (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
