Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, was struck by multiple missiles for the first time in months on Monday and several other cities took severe blows in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called retaliation for a weekend explosion on a major Russian-built bridge.
At least 11 civilians were killed and scores were wounded, Ukraine Emergency Service reported. Homes, businesses, roads and vehicles were left in ruins just two days after a major bridge linking occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland was damaged by an apparent truck bomb. Putin blamed Ukrainian special forces for that blast.
“If attempts continue to carry out terror attacks on our territory, Russia’s responses will be tough,” Putin said at a meeting with members of Russia’s Security Council. “No one must have any doubts about that.”
Putin said his Defense Ministry used long-range air, sea and ground-based precision weapons to strike Ukrainian energy, military command and communications facilities.
On Monday, missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the center of Kyiv during rush hour. Among other major cities battered by the strikes were Dnipro in the center of the country, Lyiv in the west, Kharkiv in the east and Zaporizhizia in the south.
Ukraine’s military said Russia launched 75 missiles, mostly from drones, and 41 of them were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. Critical infrastructure, mostly energy supply, was hit in eight regions, and more than 30 fires broke out in Kyiv alone, authorities said.
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“The world once again saw the true face of a terrorist state that is killing our people,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post Monday. “On the battlefield & in peaceful cities. A country that covers its true bloody essence & goal with talks about peace.”
Other developments:
►The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks were successful: “The purpose of the strike was achieved. All designated objects were hit.”
►Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said power was being shut off to some areas of the capital to repair damage to critical infrastructure. Power and water supplies were damaged in the attack, he said.
►The deputy chief of the Putin’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, urged a complete dismantling of the political regime of Ukraine, saying it posed a “constant, direct, and clear” threat to Russia.
Europe pledges more support to Ukraine after latest strikes
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “deeply shocked” by the Russian attacks.
“Such acts have no place in 21st century,” Borrell said. “We stand with Ukraine. Additional military support from the EU is on its way.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks and pledged EU support for Ukraine for “as long as it takes, with all the means we have.” She added that Putin has again shown the world what his Russia stands for: “brutality and terror.”
French President Emmanuel Macron told Zelensky in a telephone conversation that France will increase its support for Ukraine “in response to the needs formulated by Kyiv, including those related to military equipment,” European Pravda reported.
Red Cross pauses efforts in Ukraine
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it temporarily paused its work in Ukraine amid the most recent bombings but continues to provide services. The agency said it is committed to remaining in Ukraine and will continue its activities while adapting to the “deteriorating security situation” on the ground.
“Given the security situation in Ukraine today, our teams momentarily paused movements, sheltered and continued to work in place,” the agency said. “Our full schedule of humanitarian assistance will resume immediately as the security situation allows.”
The Red Cross has worked in Ukraine since 2014 and scaled up its response to meet the rising needs when the war began in February. The agency has about 700 staffers in 10 locations across Ukraine to deliver relief items to the displaced, provide medicines and supplies to health care facilities, restore water supply and other lifesaving activities.
EU foreign policy chief chides alliance for delaying Ukraine military training
Borrell is lamenting the bloc’s slow pace of action in setting up a military training mission for the Ukrainian armed forces. Foreign ministers are due to discuss the plan next week, almost eight months after the war started.
Borrell told EU ambassadors Monday that “we had been discussing about the Ukrainian training mission before the war. Before the war. For months.” He says that “then the war comes and people said, ‘Oh, we should have done it. Yeah, we should have done it. And now we are doing it quickly.’”
Contributing: The Associated Press
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