Russian President Vladimir V. Putin ordered a series of long-range missile strikes against cities in Ukraine on Monday, October 10, hitting the heart of Kyiv, the capital, and other areas far from the front lines in the largest air assault on civilians and infrastructure since the early days of Moscow’s invasion of the neighboring country.
The Russian attacks killed at least 11 people across the country and injured another 89, Ukrainian authorities said, and paralyzed energy and other essential services in several cities. Putin stated that the attacks were in response to an explosion that hit a major Russian bridge over the weekend, which he called a “terrorist attack.” He threatened further strikes if Ukraine continued to target Russian sites.
The metro stations in central Kyiv were crowded on Monday, serving as shelters for hundreds of people seeking protection from the Russian assault.
World leaders condemned the escalation of the Russian attack. The United Nations Secretary-General denounced the “unacceptable escalation” of the war. India and China, major trading partners of Moscow, which avoid direct criticism of Putin, renewed calls for an immediate reduction in attacks.
Source: The New York Times