Eyewitnesses: Santa Claus Shot Down Over Eastern Ukraine

Kyiv - Dreams of a peaceful and happy Christmas for the embattled eastern region of Ukraine were dashed early Thursday morning, when, according to several eyewitnesses, Santa Claus and his sleigh were shot down outside of the city of Torez in the province of Donetsk Oblast.

According to Ukrainian media, at approximately 1:40 a.m. Donetsk time, as Santa - or Ded Moroz as Ukrainians call him - was making haste over the troubled Ukrainian/Russian border, the deliverer of toys and dreams was "blown out of the sky."

Last known photo of Ded Moroz & Snegurochka

Eyewitnesses report a low-flying object of unknown origin traveling above Torez approximately 10 minutes before the crash. "I had stepped outside to enjoy a glass of Peperivka (a traditional Ukrainian holiday beverage which involves spicing vodka, whiskey or bourbon with peppers), and to my astonishment, I heard the faint sound of sleigh bells in the sky. I looked to the east and could make out a reddish looking sleigh, led by what appeared to be reindeer," said factory worker Vadim Tkachenko, 54. "A few minutes later, I heard sirens go off, and my cousin who lives on the outside of town called me and told me that he had witnessed an explosion over the property adjacent to his." When reached for comment, the 66 year old retiree told The Sentinel Dispatch that "all of a sudden there was rocket fire, followed by a blast in the sky, which sent pieces of red and green debris falling from the sky," said Kostya Moroz.

The devastating news comes only months after Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over the same area on July 17th, killing all 298 passengers and crew. At the time, Ukrainian forces, and the central government in Kyiv blamed pro-Russian militants, and early reports suggest they are also to blame for the death of Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost, as he is known in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed in a conference call that there was evidence of Buk surface-to-air missile fire in the area at the time.

The news is particularly difficult for the children of the embattled region, who, as confirmed by Poroshenko, "have been so good this year." In the Ukrainian tradition, Ded Moroz is said to bring presents to children. However, unlike the secretive Santa Claus, the gifts are often delivered "in person" at celebrations held this time of year. The visits usually occur at organized celebrations at kindergartens or schools and at circus performances, and various agencies organize Ded Moroz visits to families and offices.

Reports from Kyiv confirm that there were no survivors. Among the dead are Ded Moroz's granddaughter and helper Snegurochka - or Snow Maiden - and each of the eight reindeer. While Kyiv and Moscow have come out blaming one other for the mishap, each are deploying grief counselors to the region for dismayed children.

From Our Kyiv Bureau