Russian forces launched a barrage of deadly bombing raids on Ukraine early Monday in apparent retaliation for a blast that damaged a key bridge to Moscow-annexed Crimea.
The largest wave of strikes in Ukraine in months, killing at least five people in Kyiv, came hours before a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Security Council.
Ukraine’s top military general said Russian forces had fired 75 missiles at cities across the country in a wave of attacks that included Iranian drones, and it was the first Russian attack on Kyiv since late June.
“We were sleeping when we heard the first explosion. We woke up, went to check and then the second explosion came,” Ksenia Ryazantseva, a 39-year-old language teacher, told AFP.
“We didn’t understand what was going on… well, we’re at war,” she added.
Addressing the nation early Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the morning had been “difficult” and said Russian forces had two targets with their barrage of strikes.
“They want panic and chaos and they want to destroy our energy system,” said Zelenskyy, announcing that Russian bombs were targeting cities like Dnipro and Zaporizhia in the center of the country and Lviv in the east.
– “Demonstrate Weakness” –
“The second target is people,” he said, accusing the Moscow army of launching the strikes with the aim “of causing as much damage as possible.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Russian rocket attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and several other cities were “unacceptable”.
“This is a demonstration of (Vladimir) Putin’s weakness, not strength,” he tweeted, adding that he had contacted his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.
Zelenskyi said on social media that he has since spoken to the leaders of France and Germany, urging them to “up the pressure” on Russia.
“We talked about strengthening our air defenses, the need for a tough European and international response, and increased pressure on the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter after his phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
In Kyiv, the National Police Service said at least five people were killed and another dozen injured.
Ukrainian officials said the city’s central Shevkenko district was hit and a university, museums and the Philharmonic Hall were damaged in the strikes.
An AFP journalist in the city said one of the projectiles landed near a children’s playground and smoke billowed from a large crater at the impact site.
Several nearby trees and benches were charred from the blast while several ambulances had arrived in the area.
“Unless it’s urgent, don’t go into town today. I also ask the residents of the suburbs to do the same – do not go to the capital today.”
Videos posted on social media showed black smoke billowing over several areas of the city.
Ukrainian officials, including Zelenskyy, urged residents to stay indoors, and the capital’s mayor said residents living outside of Kyiv should stay outside the city.
In the western city of Lviv, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said there were disruptions to electricity and hot water supplies after bombings targeted critical infrastructure, including power plants.
The former Soviet Republic of Moldova said several Russian cruise missiles targeting Ukraine had crossed its airspace and urged the Moscow envoy to demand an explanation.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of the brutal attacks,” Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said on Twitter.
Moldova has a small breakaway region, Transnistria, which is armed and backed by Russia.
– Attack on the Crimean Bridge –
Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, claimed Monday that Ukraine was preparing an attack on his country’s territory.
The strikes across Ukraine came a day after Moscow blamed Ukraine for the explosion on a bridge linking Crimea with Russia that killed three people.
“The originators, perpetrators and sponsors are the Ukrainian secret services,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin of the Crimean bridge bombing on Saturday, which he described as a “terrorist act”.
The Kremlin previously said Putin would meet with members of his Security Council on Monday.
The blast that hit the bridge sparked cheers from Ukrainians and others on social media.
But Zelenskyi did not directly mention the incident in his late night address on Saturday, and officials in Kyiv have not taken direct responsibility.
On Saturday, Russia said some road and rail services had resumed via the strategic link, a symbol of the Kremlin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The 19-kilometer bridge is also an important supply link between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Some military analysts argue the blast could have major repercussions if Moscow sees a need to move already hard-pressed troops to Crimea from other regions — or if it prompts a rush of residents to leave.
