Russia launched a massive attack on several Ukrainian cities overnight on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, a day after he highlighted the possibility of strikes during the Christmas period.

At least three people have been confirmed dead, including a four-year-old child, while vital energy infrastructure was also targeted, leaving numerous regions without power.

Over 600 drones and 30 missiles were reportedly deployed in the assault. Zelensky remarked, people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe before Christmas and stressed that the strikes reiterated an extremely clear signal about Russia's priorities despite ongoing peace negotiations.

He further added, Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing, asserting that the world is not putting sufficient pressure on Russia.

The central Zhytomyr region confirmed the tragic death of a child, with local official Vitaly Bunechko stating, She was taken to hospital, doctors fought for her life but could not save her in the end. In the Kyiv region, a 76-year-old woman died, and three people were injured due to a house strike, as reported by Ukraine's state emergencies service. Additionally, a 72-year-old man was killed in an attack in Khmelnytskyy.

In response to the attacks, Polish fighter jets were scrambled to intercept missiles and drones directed at western Ukraine.

The Russian defense ministry claimed that their targets included energy facilities and transport infrastructure, according to Russian state media.

Ukraine countered by launching a strike on a petrochemical plant in Stravropol, southern Russia, which resulted in a fire, although no casualties were reported from that incident.

As Ukraine braced for temperatures as low as -7C, the country's energy operator warned of emergency power shutdowns across all regions. Acting energy minister Artem Nekrasov labeled this as the ninth large attack on Ukraine's energy system this year, noting that regions like Rivne, Ternopil, and Khmelnytsky are facing significant power losses.

Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko indicated that some areas could be without electricity for several days.

Recent attacks have mainly focused on the southern port city of Odesa, coinciding with Putin's threats to sever Ukraine's access to the Black Sea in retaliation for drone strikes on Russian tanker vessels.

The murderous drone attacks marked a return to violence after weeks of relative calm in Kyiv. The latest developments are viewed as potentially linked to recent events such as the death of a top Russian general in a Moscow car bomb explosion, which Russia attributes to Ukraine.

In the wake of US-led diplomatic talks in Miami, Zelensky indicated that a proposed Christmas truce was rejected by Russia, with ongoing negotiations producing backbone documents aimed at ending the conflict.