Ukraine’s President Zelensky Accuses Russia of “Following the Devil” in War to Keep Putin in Power

In a televised address on Saturday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “following the devil” and waging a war to ensure that its President Vladimir Putin remains in power “until the end of his life.” The Ukrainian leader spoke in Russian to send a message to the Kremlin and its citizens, as Moscow launched a series of deadly strikes that have swept several regions of Ukraine ahead of New Year’s Eve.

“Russians want to intimidate, leave us in the dark for the New Year, cause as much damage to civilian infrastructure as possible,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The attacks have left at least one dead and 20 injured, with 14 hospitalized and six receiving medical care on the spot, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The mayor also reported that the open section of the red metro line in the city was closed to check for the presence of missile debris.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russia “continues to conduct offensive actions at the Lyman and Bakhmut directions and is trying to improve the tactical situation at the Kupiansk and Avdiivka directions.” Russian forces fired on several towns and villages, including in Lyman, in the direction of Bakhmut, in the areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba highlighted the harsh civilian toll of this latest offensive, noting that “this time, Russia’s mass missile attack is deliberately targeting residential areas, not even the energy infrastructure.”

Thirty percent of the capital was left without power due to emergency shutdowns, Klitschko said, while Mykolaiv Governor Vitalii Kim reported that the Russians were targeting civilians more directly than just by attacking infrastructure as in the past.

Despite the attacks, many Kyiv residents have returned to the capital to spend New Year’s Eve with their loved ones, including Mykyta, who met his wife Valeriia at the city’s central railway station on Saturday morning. Another soldier, Vasyl Khomko, 42, joyously met his daughter Yana and wife Galyna, who had been living in Slovakia due to the war, but returned to Kyiv to spend New Year’s Eve together.

First lady Olena Zelenska expressed outrage that such massive missile attacks could come just before New Year’s Eve celebrations, but urged Ukrainians to persevere. “We will persevere,” she said. “This year, it’s a symbol, not that it’s a small victory, but a symbol that we survived the year.”