• Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke Russian to the Kremlin and Russians.
• Moscow conducted devastating attacks across Ukraine.
• Most of the Russian missiles were intercepted by air defense forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “following the devil” and waging a war to ensure that its President Vladimir Putin remains in power “until the end of his life.”

In his nightly address on Saturday, Zelenskyy began speaking in Russian to convey a message to the Kremlin and Russian citizens as Moscow launched a series of deadly strikes that swept through several regions of Ukraine in advance of the New Year.

“All this war that you are waging, you – Russia, it is not the war with NATO, as your propagandists lie,” Zelenskyy said. “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,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

Zelenskyy said “most of the Russian missiles intercepted by air defense forces.”

“If it were not for air defense, the number of casualties would have been different. Much bigger,” he stressed. “And this is yet another proof for the world that support for Ukraine must be increased.”

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal earlier said Moscow wants to cause darkness and leave the country “in the dark for the New Year.”

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, cause as much damage to civilian infrastructure as possible.”

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