Ten months into Russia’s war on Ukraine, Zelensky spoke of endurance and pushing through to the end, while acknowledging that “freedom comes at a high price.” He urged the nation to stand firm in the face of a grim winter of energy blackouts, the absence of loved ones and the ever-present threat of Russian attacks.Zelensky described those attacks as “killing for the sake of intimidation and pleasure.” ‘We will find each other’ In his Christmas message, Zelensky acknowledged that all holidays have a bitter aftertaste for the besieged country this year.On Sunday evening, a few dozen people gathered around a darkened Christmas tree in Kyiv’s Sophia Square, in the center of the Ukrainian capital, and broke out in applause when the generator kicked in and the tree’s blue and yellow lights switched on.Ihor Zholudiev, an IT specialist originally from Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, told CNN that he found the moment “inspiring.” “This Christmas is special for us, because we can celebrate it in this difficult year,” Zholudiev said.Everyone liked it, because it was cozy and sincere.” Kherson strikes Hours before Zelensky delivered his Christmas address, a series of deadly Russian strikes slammed into the city of Kherson, where apartments and medical facilities were among the buildings hit, according to Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the region’s military administration."