Russia waging war so Putin can stay in power, says Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

Kyiv [Ukraine], January 1 (ANI): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday accused Russia of waging a war that its President Vladimir Putin can stay in power 'until the end of his life,' reported CNN.

He said that Russia is "following the devil," in an apparent remark to Putin. This comes after Moscow launched a series of deadly strikes that swept several regions of Ukraine ahead of New Year.

Zelenskyy switched to speaking Russian in his nightly address on Saturday to send a message to the Kremlin, saying, "All this war that you are waging, you - Russia, it is not the war with NATO, as your propagandists lie."

"It is not for something historical. It's for one person to remain in power until the end of his life and what will be with all of you, citizens of Russia, does not concern him," he added.

Zelenskyy said "Russian leader is hiding behind the troops, behind missiles, behind the walls of his residences and palaces" and behind his people.

"He hides behind you and burns your country and your future. No one will ever forgive you for terror," he emphasized.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal earlier said that Moscow wants to cause darkness and leave the country "in the dark for the New Year," reported CNN.

Moscow intends to "intimidate, leave us in the dark for the new year, cause as much damage to civilian infrastructure as possible," Shmyhal said on Telegram.

"There are attacks on civilian infrastructure in different regions of our country. Residential buildings, hotel, (a) shop, place for festivals were damaged. There are dead and injured," he wrote.

"Russians want to intimidate, leave us in the dark for the New Year, and cause as much damage to civilian infrastructure as possible."

Russian shelling in recent weeks targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine has left much of the country without access to heat and power, amid a harsh winter season, reported CNN.

Out of the 20 injured in the capital Kyiv, 14 were hospitalized, while six others were given medical care on the spot, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

Several school buildings in the capital suffered severe damage from the explosions, the mayor added.

Air raid sirens were activated following the attacks in Kyiv, where air defences later repelled a wave of Iranian drones, reported CNN.

Emergency services were sent to the scene but according to preliminary information, there were no casualties.

Further east in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, Russian strikes killed at least six people, reported CNN.

Three people died and three more were wounded in the Donetsk region, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Telegram.

One person was wounded in the Zaporizhzhia region. Two were killed and one wounded in the Kharkiv region. Two people were wounded in the Kherson region, while one died in the Chernihiv region.

It came after Russia launched five missiles and 29 air strikes on Friday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Saturday.

"26 of the enemy's air strikes were on civilian infrastructure. In particular, the occupants used 10 Shahed-136 UAVs, but all of them were shot down. In addition, the enemy made 80 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, civilian settlements were also hit," the General Staff said in its latest operational update.

It said that Russia "continues to conduct offensive actions at the Lyman and Bakhmut directions and is trying to improve the tactical situation at the Kupiansk and Avdiivka directions."

Russian forces fired on several towns and villages, including in Lyman, in the direction of Bakhmut, in the areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. (ANI)