Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has condemned the latest Russian strikes that killed at least 10 people and wounded 55 others in the southern port city of Kherson on December 24, the president’s office said.
"Kherson. In the morning, on Saturday, on the eve of Christmas, in the central part of the city. These are not military facilities," Zelenskiy said on Telegram.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
He shared photos that showed bloodied bodies on pavements. One photo depicted large plumes of black smoke rising from near an apartment block. At least two cars were on fire.
“It is the real life of Ukraine and Ukrainians,” the president wrote, and he accused Russian forces of “killing for the sake of intimidation and pleasure."
Ukrainian presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko said 15 of the people injured in the latest attack were in serious condition. Tymoshenko said many people had been out on the streets when the attack occurred, “as it was the weekend.”
Yaroslav Yanushevich, the head of the regional military administration, wrote on Telegram that the strike was a “deliberate attack on civilians.”
“They attacked the market, a shopping center, residential buildings, administrative buildings...There are no military facilities anywhere nearby.”
A Kremlin-installed official in the Kherson region claimed without evidence that Ukrainian forces had shelled the city in an attempt to blame Russia. Throughout the war, pro-Russia officials have made similar remarks without providing evidence of such claims.
Battlefield claims could not immediately be confirmed.
Kherson was liberated by Ukrainian forces in November, but Kyiv says Russian forces continue to shell the city from across the Dnieper River.
The latest attack on Kherson comes a day after Zelenskiy warned of possible Russian attacks during the holiday season and urged Ukrainians to be extra vigilant in the coming days.
"With the holiday season approaching, Russian terrorists could become active again," Zelenskiy said in his evening video address on December 23.
The Ukrainian military leadership has recently warned about new missile attacks on the country's infrastructure and energy supply, noting that a Russian naval unit including a warship equipped with cruise missiles was on combat duty in the Black Sea.
Zelenskiy met with Ukrainian military leaders on December 23 after returning to Kyiv from the United States, saying the armed forces were preparing for the coming months and next year.
SEE ALSO: Mr. Zelenskiy Goes To Washington. So What Did He Get From It?In Washington, the House of Representatives passed a further $45 billion in aid to Ukraine included in an overall government spending bill and sent the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Zelenskiy responded in a tweet saying he was grateful to Congress for “unwavering bipartisan support for Ukraine in the fight for freedom. It is extremely important that [Americans] are together with Ukrainians in this struggle," he added.