“Everyone is in coordination: the military administration, city authorities, police, energy workers, utility workers, rescuers, volunteers,” says Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov, as it deals with Russia’s missile attack.

He says he won’t say too much, so as to not inform Russia, but declares: “If we had not prepared for the shelling, it would have been much worse.”

The regional head, Sergiy Lysak, says that as well as energy infrastructure, an administrative building and a house were damaged.

He accuses Russia of sending “darkness” to Ukraine, “even on bright holidays”.

“For the third year, our Christmas has been overshadowed by war. But it is ours. Let’s stand up and win!”