Ukrainian authorities: Russia shelled Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia at the end of the ‘Christmas truce’

In the early hours of December 8, Russian troops launched missile strikes on the city of Merefa, in the Kharkiv region, said Oleh Synyehubov, Governor of the Kharkiv region.

Synyehubov says the strikes killed a 50-year-old man. “Even on Christmas the enemy doesn’t stop terrorizing civilians!” the governor posted on Telegram.

Despite declaring a Christmas ceasefire, the Russian army also shelled the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia early Sunday morning, said city council secretary Anatoly Kurtev. He did not provide details about casualties or damage to the area.

Governor of Zaporizhzhia Oleksandr Starukh similarly reported that, early Saturday morning, Russians shelled a UN mission, which had brought humanitarian aid in the city of Orikhiv. 

Pavlo Kyrylenko, Governor of the Donetsk region, writes that during the night Russians launched seven rocket strikes on the city of Kramatorsk and two on Konstyantynivka. Industrial facilities were damaged, but there were no casualties.

There were also reports of overnight explosions inKherson.

In its morning report the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed that, despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian military launched nine missile strikes, two air strikes, and 40 heavy artillery attacks, including on civilian infrastructure. The UAF adds that there are civilian casualties, including deaths.

In times of war it is impossible to immediately verify information disseminated even by official representatives of parties to the conflict.

On January 5, Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian Minister of Defense to declare a 36-hour ceasefire coinciding with Russian Orthodox Christmas, from noon on January 6 to midnight on January 7, 2023, following Patriarch Kirill’s call for a “Christmas truce.” After the unilateral ceasefire came into effect, both Kyiv and Washington reported that the Russian army was continuing combat activities. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the Russian military was observing the ceasefire, but responding to Ukrainian artillery fire.