'Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety': US President Biden condemns Russian missile strikes on Ukraine

Washington DC, December 26 :
US President Joe Biden condemned the Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine on Wednesday, reiterating the United States' steadfast support for Ukraine. He also said that the US Department of Defence would increase the weapon deliveries to Ukraine and called on the international community to stand with the nation.

"In the early hours of Christmas, Russia launched waves of missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and critical energy infrastructure. The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people's access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid," Biden said in a statement.

"Let me be clear: the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety, and the United States and the international community must continue to stand with Ukraine until it triumphs over Russia's aggression," he said.

Biden, in his statement, highlighted the US defence supplies to Ukraine and how the US would continue to strengthen Ukraine against Russia. "In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defence missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in its defence against Russian forces," he added.

Earlier on Christmas, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia for launching a massive missile and drone attack on the festival of Christmas, targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and described the assault as "inhumane." Al Jazeera reported that Russian missiles killed at least one person, injured three in southern Ukraine and damaged energy infrastructure across Ukraine. The governor of Kherson announced the casualties on Wednesday morning.

As per Al Jazeera, in northeastern Ukraine, at least six people were wounded in a missile attack on Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that the missiles fired at Kharkiv were ballistic. In Dnipropetrovsk, Governor Serhiy Lysak said Russia was aiming at a power grid, Al Jazeera reported.

Source: ANI