Missiles knocked out power in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia and hit oil and gas facilities in eastern Ukraine, they said, while in the Kyiv region electricity supply was in a critical state.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the situation in Russian-held parts of Ukraine was “extremely difficult” on Tuesday while his Ukrainian counterpart drove home the message by visiting a frontline town that Russia has long tried and failed to capture.
Western countries have imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia and the rouble slumped to an over seven-month low against the dollar on Tuesday after the European Union agreed to cap prices of gas, a major Russian export. In a rare admission of the invasion of Ukraine not going smoothly, Putin cautioned about the difficult situation in regions of Ukraine that Moscow moved to annex in September and ordered the FSB to ensure the "safety" of people living there.
Poland's president led a Hanukkah ceremony on December 19 at which he paid tribute to Jewish communities in Poland and worldwide for helping Ukrainian refugees this year.
Canada's government on December 19 announced the start of a process to seize $26 million in assets from a company owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.