KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that public exhaustion and anger over the prolonged war have reached extreme levels across Ukraine. In a Christmas Eve address, Zelensky openly stated that many Ukrainians harbor thoughts wishing for the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the conflict entered its most intense phase of drone warfare since the invasion began.
Zelensky’s remarks were delivered amid a wave of large-scale aerial attacks exchanged between Russia and Ukraine on Christmas Day—described as one of the deadliest nights in nearly four years of war. In his speech, Zelensky portrayed the collective emotional state of a nation that has endured relentless violence and destruction.
“‘May he perish’—perhaps each of us has thought this silently at some point,” Zelensky said, implicitly referring to Vladimir Putin, as quoted by international media.
Despite the harsh tone, Zelensky emphasized that such anger does not override Ukraine’s core objective. He stressed that beneath the emotional toll of war, Ukrainians continue to seek a just and lasting peace.
“When we pray to God, we do not only ask for revenge,” Zelensky said. “We ask for something greater: peace for Ukraine. We fight and pray so that every Ukrainian family can once again live in harmony.”
The strong language came as Russia launched a massive overnight drone assault lasting through Christmas morning. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia fired 131 drones toward Ukrainian territory, 22 of which struck 15 different locations, while the rest were intercepted by air defense systems.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said at least one person was killed and 14 others were injured in the past 24 hours. The attacks also damaged civilian infrastructure and further strained the country’s already fragile energy system.
Russia, meanwhile, claimed it had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian counterattack. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 387 Ukrainian drones were shot down during the same period, including several detected over the Moscow region. The Kremlin described the incident as the largest single-day drone escalation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The Kremlin swiftly responded to Zelensky’s remarks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the comments as unethical, hateful, and reflective of emotional instability, questioning Zelensky’s capacity for rational decision-making.
The exchange of statements and strikes followed shortly after Zelensky presented a new 20-point peace plan to the international community. According to Zelensky, Moscow once again rejected calls for a ceasefire, including proposals tied to the Christmas holiday.
“Russia not only refused to stop the killing on a holy day, but instead launched massive strikes on our energy infrastructure, causing power outages and prolonging the suffering of our people,” Zelensky said.
He added that throughout the year, Russia has consistently dismissed concrete ceasefire proposals, opting instead to pursue a prolonged war strategy.
(Faisal/FKY)
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