Ukrainian faithful were participating in a mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kiev, on Christmas Eve this Tuesday (24), when they were surprised by sirens warning the population of a possible air attack.
In the city of Kryvyi Rih, in central Ukraine, one person died and 15 others were injured after a ballistic missile attack hit a residential building.
Moscow is pressing the 1,000km front line along eastern and southern Ukraine almost three years after its full-scale invasion.
The majority of Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, and the country’s main church agreed in 2024 to scrap January 7th as the day of celebration – swapping it for December 25th.
For many believers, celebrating Christmas on December 25th means not only joining the West, but also distancing themselves from Russia.
Understand the War between Russia and Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and entered the territory from three fronts: through the Russian border, through Crimea and through Belarus, a country that is a strong ally of the Kremlin. Forces loyal to President Vladimir Putin made significant advances in the first few days, but the Ukrainians managed to maintain control of Kiev, even though the city was also attacked. The invasion was criticized internationally and the Kremlin was the target of economic sanctions from the West.
In October 2024, after thousands of deaths, the war in Ukraine entered what analysts describe as its most dangerous moment yet.
Tensions rose when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the use of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile during an attack on Ukrainian soil. The projectile carried conventional warheads, but is capable of carrying nuclear material.
The launch took place after Ukraine launched an offensive inside Russian territory using weapons manufactured by Western powers, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
Western intelligence reports that Russia is using North Korean troops in the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang neither deny nor confirm the report.
President Vladimir Putin, who replaced his defense minister in May, has said that Russian forces are advancing much more effectively — and that Russia will achieve all of its objectives in Ukraine, although he did not elaborate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he believes Putin’s main goals are to occupy the entire Donbass region, encompassing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and to expel Ukrainian troops from Russia’s Kursk region, which they have controlled parts of since August. .
This content was originally published in Christmas Mass is interrupted by air raid sirens in Ukraine on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
