<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged his people to persevere in the face of Russian attacks as the country celebrates Christmas.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a defiant speech on Saturday, he said: "Freedom comes at a high price. But slavery has an even higher price."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Russia's missile and drone attacks have left millions of Ukrainians without power, heating and running water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier on Saturday, Russian air strikes killed 10 people in Ukraine's southern Kherson city, officials said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The regional authorities said another 68 people were injured and called on local residents to urgently donate blood.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Describing Russia as a "terrorist country", Mr Zelensky accused Russian troops of "killing for the sake of intimidation and pleasure".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a post on social media, he showed pictures of streets strewn with bodies and burning cars, saying "the world must see and understand what absolute evil we are fighting against".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kherson, the only regional capital captured by Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February, was liberated by Ukraine last month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then it has been frequently targeted by Russian forces positioned on the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro river.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians in its attacks. However, President Vladimir Putin has recently admitted that Russian troops have been hitting Ukraine's critical energy facilities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, and mark Christmas Eve - the main day of the festive season in the country - on 6 January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, a growing number of worshippers have been celebrating the day on 24 December, in line with the majority of Christians around the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a video address to the nation late on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said: "We endured at the beginning of the war. We endured attacks, threats, nuclear blackmail, terror, missile strikes. Let's endure this winter because we know what we are fighting for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We will celebrate our holidays! As always. We will smile and be happy. As always. The difference is one. We will not wait for a miracle. After all, we create it ourselves."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For many Ukrainians, Christmas will be in the dark and in the cold, says the BBC's Hugo Bachega in Kyiv.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But Ukrainians say the hardships have only made them stronger, as the war enters its 11th month, our correspondent adds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday, fierce fighting continued in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region where Russian troops attacked the strategic town of Bakhmut. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>