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Russia Conducts Tactical Fighter Jet Drills over Baltic Sea

Russian warplanes. Reuters file photo
Russian warplanes. Reuters file photo
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Russia Conducts Tactical Fighter Jet Drills over Baltic Sea

Russian warplanes. Reuters file photo
Russian warplanes. Reuters file photo

Russia's defense ministry said early on Tuesday that it was conducting tactical fighter jet exercises over the Baltic Sea with the main goal of testing readiness to perform combat and special tasks operations.

"The crews of the Su-27 (fighter jets) of the Baltic Fleet fired from airborne weapons at cruise missiles and mock enemy aircraft," the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

"The main goal of the exercise is to test the readiness of the flight crew to perform combat and special tasks as intended."

The ministry said that in addition to improving skills, the fighter jets crews are on "round-the-clock combat duty" guarding the air space of Russia's Kaliningrad exclave.

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Russia Targets Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure on Christmas Day

Rescuers carry the body of a killed person at the site where an apartment building was hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine December 24, 2024. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Handout via REUTERS
Rescuers carry the body of a killed person at the site where an apartment building was hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine December 24, 2024. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Handout via REUTERS
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Russia Targets Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure on Christmas Day

Rescuers carry the body of a killed person at the site where an apartment building was hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine December 24, 2024. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Handout via REUTERS
Rescuers carry the body of a killed person at the site where an apartment building was hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine December 24, 2024. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region/Handout via REUTERS

Russia launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Wednesday, striking a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and over 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine's power sources, in a statement on X. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said one Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace.
“Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?" Zelenskyy said. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
He said Ukraine has managed to shoot down at least 50 missiles and a significant number of drones.
Ukrainian energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, said Russia again “massively attacks energy infrastructure," in a Facebook statement. Ukraine’s Air Force alerted multiple missiles fired at Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Poltava regions east of the country.
“The (electricity) distribution system operator takes the necessary measures to limit consumption to minimize negative consequences for the power system,” he said. “As soon as the security situation allows, energy workers will establish the damage caused.”
Ukraine’s biggest private energy company, DTEK, said Russia struck one of their thermal power plants Wednesday morning, making it the 13th attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year.
“Denying light and warmth to millions of peace-loving people as they celebrate Christmas is a depraved and evil act that must be answered,” Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK wrote on his X account.
Ukrainian state energy operator, Ukrenergo, applied preemptive power outages across the country, due to a “massive missile attack,” leading to electricity going out in several districts of the capital, Kyiv.
At least seven strikes targeted Kharkiv sparking fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured, local authorities said.
“Kharkiv is under massive missile fire. A series of explosions rang out in the city and there are still ballistic missiles flying in the direction of the city. Stay in safe places,” Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said.