Four people have been killed after Russian forces shelled residential areas in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine.
The new attack, which killed an 87-year-old husband and his 81-year-old wife, comes as the country prepares to celebrate Christmas Day for the first time on December 25.
Reacting to the strike, which injured another nine people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy branded the Russian soldiers “terrorists.”
Writing on Terrorists deliberately target civilian infrastructure and ordinary streets.”
“I am grateful to everyone who is doing everything to make the Russian terrorists feel our Ukrainian response, a completely honest response to their attacks,” he added.
Four people were killed and nine were injured after Russian forces shelled residential areas in southern Ukraine's Kherson region. In the photo: an image of the explosion shared by President Zelenskyy
Andrii Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, shared photos of the aftermath in Kherson, including burned cars and buildings
Ukraine will celebrate Christmas Day for the first time on December 25 after President Zelensky (pictured in April) passed new legislation in July
'Their shelling damaged a school, a boiler plant, hospitals, district heating networks, as well as private residential buildings and multi-storey residential buildings. There are injured people, including a child.'
A 15-year-old was also injured in the attack, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the regional military administration.
The attack led to fires in homes and a medical facility and caused a gas pipeline to go up in flames, the i reported.
Andrii Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, said on X: “There are no holidays for the enemy.
“They do not exist for us as long as the enemy kills our people and remains on our land.”
He shared images of burnt out cars and buildings, with emergency services on the street.
It comes as many Ukrainians prepare to celebrate Christmas for the first time on December 25.
The holiday is traditionally celebrated on January 7 and follows the Julian calendar, as many in Russia also observe.
But in July, President Zelenskyy signed a bill for Ukraine to adopt the Gregorian calendar, used by most Western countries, marking December 25 as a public holiday.