Eight killed, 24 injured in Kyiv as Russia strikes multiple Ukrainian cities

Kyiv, Oct 10 (AP) Russia unleashed a lethal barrage of strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday, smashing civilian targets including downtown Kyiv where at least eight people were killed.

Russian President Vlimir Putin later said strikes on Ukraine came in response to Kyiv's “terrorist” action, including an attack on a bridge to Moscow-controlled Crimean Peninsula.

Putin said Russian military launched precision weapons from air, sea and ground to target key energy and military command facilities.

He warned that if Ukraine continues to mount “terrorist attacks” on Russia, Moscow's response will be “tough and proportionate to level of threats.” intense, hours-long attack marked a sudden military escalation by Moscow. It came a day after Putin called explosion on Saturday on huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea a “terrorist act” masterminded by Ukrainian special services.

At least eight people were killed and 24 were injured in just one of Kyiv strikes, according to preliminary information, said Rostyslav Smirnov, an viser to Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs.

sustained barrage on major cities hit residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities alike, portending a major surge in war amid a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in recent weeks.

It came a few hours before Putin was due to hold a meeting with his security council, as Moscow's war in Ukraine approaches its eight-month milestone and Kremlin reels from humiliating battlefield setbacks in areas it is trying to annex.

Blasts struck in capital's Shevchenko district, a large area in center of Kyiv that includes historic old town as well as several government offices, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Some of strikes hit near government quarter in symbolic heart of capital, where Parliament and or major landmarks are located.

A glass tower housing offices was significantly damaged, most of its blue-tinted windows blown out.

Residents were seen on streets with blood on ir clos and hands. A young man wearing a blue jacket sat on ground as a medic wrapped a bandage around his he.

A woman with bandages wrapped around her he h blood all over front of her blouse. Several cars were also damaged or completely destroyed. Air raid sirens sounded repeatedly across country and in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched dozens of missiles and Iranian-built drones against Ukraine.

General Staff of Ukraine Armed Forces said 75 missiles were fired against Ukrainian targets, with 41 of m neutralised by air defences.

targets were civilian areas and energy facilities in 10 cities, Zelenskyy said in a video dress. “( Russians) chose such a time and such targets on purpose to inflict most damage,” Zelenskyy said.

morning strikes sent Kyiv residents back into bomb shelters for first time in months. city's subway system stopped train services and me stations available once more as bomb shelters.

While air raid sirens have continued throughout war in Ukraine's major cities across country, in Kyiv and or areas where re have been months of calm many Ukrainians h begun to ignore ir warnings and go about ir normal business.

That changed on Monday morning. attacks arrived in Kyiv at start of morning rush hour, when commuter traffic was beginning to pick up. At least one of vehicles struck near Kyiv National University appeared to be a commuter minibus, known as a “marshrutka,” and a popular albeit often crowded alternative to city's bus and metro routes.

Nearby, at least one strike landed in popular Shevchenko Park, leaving a large hole near a children's playground.

Lesia Vasylenko, a member of Ukraine's parliament, posted a photo on Twitter showing that at least one explosion occurred near main building of Kyiv National University in central Kyiv.

Elsewhere, Russia targeted civilian areas and energy infrastructure as air raid sirens sounded in every region of Ukraine, except Russia-annexed Crimea, for four straight hours.

Associated Press journalists in Dnipro city saw bodies of multiple people killed at an industrial site on city's outskirts. Windows in area h been blown out and glass littered street. A telecommunications building was hit.

Ukrainian media also reported explosions in a number of or locations, including western city of Lviv that has been a refuge for many people fleeing fighting in east, as well as in Kharkiv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr and Kropyvnytskyi.

Kharkiv was hit three times, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. strikes knocked out electricity and water supply.

Energy infrastructure was also hit in Lviv, Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said.

Three cruise missiles launched against Ukraine from Russian ships in Black Sea crossed Moldova's airspace, country's Foreign Affairs Minister Nicu Popescu complained.

A day earlier, Putin h called attack on Kerch Bridge to Crimea a terrorist act carried out by Ukrainian special services.

In a meeting Sunday with chairman of Russia's Investigative Committee, Putin said “re's no doubt it was a terrorist act directed at destruction of critically important civilian infrastructure.” Kerch Bridge is important to Russia strategically, as a military supply line to its forces in Ukraine, and symbolically, as an emblem of its claims on Crimea. No one has claimed responsibility for damaging 12-mile (19-kilometre) -long bridge, longest in Europe.

Amid onslaught, Zelenskyy said on his Telegram account that Russia is “trying to destroy us and wipe us off face of earth.” attacks appeared set to bring a fresh bout of international condemnation for Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said Group of Seven industrial powers will hold a videoconference Tuesday on situation which Zelenskyy will dress. Germany currently chairs G-7.

Ukrainian Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba broke off his Africa tour and heed back to Ukraine, saying on Twitter attacks represented “terror on peaceful Ukrainian cities.” Some feared Monday's attacks may just be first salvo in a renewed Russian offensive. Ukraine's Ministry of Education announced that all schools in Ukraine must switch to online classes at least until end of this week. (AP) FZH