"Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day," said Keith Kellogg, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Ukraine and Russia envoy.

Nearly half a million households were left without power on Christmas Day in frigid weather after further missile attacks by Russia on Ukraine's damaged power grid, according to multiple reports.

Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector “on a massive scale” overnight into Wednesday, local authorities said, amid intensified bombardment that has left Ukraine in a precarious position as the war grinds into a third winter.

Ukrainian officials say Russia has launched a massive missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported power outages across large areas of the country after Russia fired missiles against DTEK power stations in strikes on Christmas day. DTEK said

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he had asked the Defense Department to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, after condemning Russia's Christmas Day attack on Ukraine's energy system and some of its cities.

Moscow has launched a massive missile barrage on Christmas Day, with the aim of crippling energy infrastructure sites across Ukraine

Overnight, Russia launched 24 drones from inside Russia, as well as two Iskander-M ballistic missiles from Voronezh and Kursk oblasts, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.

Air combat remains a critical factor in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, as both sides vie for control of the skies. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, a highly advanced multirole fighter jet, has been a centerpiece of Ukraine’s effort to strengthen its air capabilities.