Several explosions rocked multiple cities around Ukraine, including capital Kyiv at morning rush hour after Russian president Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the Russia-Crimea bridge blast.
“Ukraine is under missile attack. There is information about strikes in many cities of our country,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the president’s office, said on social media, calling on the population to “stay in shelters”.
“Several explosions in the Shevchenkivskyi district, in the city centre. Details soon” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram on Monday.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shared a video clip showing the aftermath of the strike, showing wrecked cars, buildings with shattered windows and fires burning in the street.
"They are trying to destroy us and wipe us off the face of the earth. Destroy our people who are sleeping at home in Zaporizhzhia. Kill people who go to work in Dnipro and Kyiv. The air alarm does not subside throughout Ukraine. There are missiles coming. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. Please do not leave shelters. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Let’s hold on and be strong," he said.
The US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A Brink, called the missile strikes a sign of Russia escalating “its barrage of attacks on Ukrainian civilians”.
Multiple strikes in central Kyiv and across Ukraine this morning. Russia escalates its barrage of attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) October 10, 2022
