'Slavery has a higher price than freedom': Zelenskyy's Christmas address after deadly Russian bombing raid

24 December 2022, 12:55 | Updated: 25 December 2022, 09:17

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the people of Ukraine to stand firm in the face of continued Russian aggression in a Christmas address, the day after a deadly raid on Kherson.

Mr Zelenskyy said in a defiant speech on Saturday evening, which marked ten months since the Russian army first invaded, that "freedom comes at a high price. But slavery has an even higher price."

Russian bombardment has killed scores of civilians in recent weeks and left many without electricity and running water, amid the freezing Ukrainian winter.

The latest attack, which came on the Ukrainian port city of Kherson, killed ten people and injured dozens more.

Rallying his countrymen and women on Christmas Eve, Mr Zelenskyy said: "We endured at the beginning of the war. We endured attacks, threats, nuclear blackmail, terror, missile strikes. Let's endure this winter because we know what we are fighting for.

"We will celebrate our holidays! As always. We will smile and be happy. As always. The difference is one. We will not wait for a miracle. After all, we create it ourselves."

Most Ukrainians are part of the Orthodox faith and so celebrate Christmas on January 7, although the country is home to a sizeable minority of Catholics.

But this year many Orthodox worshippers are moving festivities to December 25, in a bid to split with Russia, after the Ukrainian Orthodox church gave permission for the switch.

Saturday's attack on Kherson left ten people dead and 20 injured after in an onslaught that Mr Zelenskyy described as a "terror" attack.

The Russian bombardment came as residents of the city, liberated by the Ukrainian army in November, did their weekend shopping at a market.

Eyewitnesses in Kherson reported seeing bodies and rubble litter the streets after the attack on the southern city, which is still within range of Russian artillery.

Sharing graphic pictures of the scene on his Twitter account, Mr Zelensky said: "In the morning, on Saturday, on the eve of Christmas, in the central part of the city.

"These are not military facilities. This is not a war according to the rules defined. It is terror, it is killing for the sake of intimidation and pleasure."

He added: "This is not sensitive content - it's the real life of Kherson."

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Images shared by Mr Zelenskyy on Saturday morning showed what appeared to be dead bodies lying in the street and in a car, buildings on fire and cars destroyed.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, said: "Christmas Eve. Russian terror strike on Kherson leads to multiple civilian casualties.

"While families in Europe, North America, and beyond prepare festive dinners, spare a thought for Ukraine which is fighting evil right now. We need your active and lasting support to prevail."

This is the second attack on Kherson in less than two weeks, after Russian missiles killed two people on December 15, including a Red Cross worker, and cut power to the city.

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It comes just days after Mr Zelenskyy visited the US in his first overseas trip since the Russian invasion, thanking Congress for their support.

The US is set to give Ukraine another $45 billion in military aid, including Patriot missiles that may help counter the frequent Russian bombardment of civilian areas that has severely damaged Ukrainian infrastructure in recent weeks, plunging many residents into cold and darkness.