Zelensky wishes Putin to die in his Christmas speech. Russian bombers over the Barents Sea and Norway

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President Volodymyr Zelensky greeted Ukrainians on Christmas Eve, saying that “despite all the suffering it has brought,” Russia is unable to “occupy” what matters most: the unity of Ukraine. Zelensky also wished for Putin’s death, without explicitly calling the Russian president by name, calling it a “shared dream” of Ukrainians.

«We celebrate Christmas in a difficult time. Unfortunately, not all of us are at home tonight. Unfortunately, not everyone has a home yet. And unfortunately, not everyone is with us tonight. But despite all the suffering Russia brings, it is unable to occupy or bomb what matters most. This is our Ukrainian heart, our mutual trust and our unity,” Zelensky said. «Today we all share a dream. And we make a wish, for all of us. ‘Let him die’, each of us might think to ourselves. But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater. We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. And we pray for it. And we deserve it,” Zelensky said in his eve speech.

In the speech, Zelensky also said that right now Ukrainians are praying for all those on the front lines: that they return alive. «For all those who are prisoners: let them return home. For all our fallen heroes who defended Ukraine at the cost of their lives. For all those whom Russia forced to occupy and flee. For those who are struggling but have not lost Ukraine within themselves, and therefore Ukraine will never lose them.” This is the third Christmas that Ukraine celebrates on December 25, according to the Western Gregorian calendar, together with the West, after deciding two years ago to abandon the ancient Julian calendar of many other Orthodox churches, such as the Russian one, which instead celebrate Christmas on January 7.

Meanwhile, Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers carried out a planned flight mission over the neutral waters of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea, and were accompanied by foreign fighters in some areas, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Russian agency Tass writes it. The duration of the flight was more than seven hours, the ministry said. Russian Navy Su-33 fighters escorted the long-range bombers.

During the night, Ukrainian drones hit the port of the city of Temryuk, in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, causing a fire in the oil tanks. This was announced by the authorities of the city on the Sea of ​​Azov, according to which the fire affects an area of ​​two thousand square meters and dozens of firefighters and civil protection men are working to put out the flames. The city had already been hit by a similar attack on December 5th.