Russian missiles strike Ukrainian cities, including capital Kyiv; many dead

Several Ukrainian cities were targeted by a deadly barrage of strikes from Russia on Monday, including the downtown area of Kyiv, where at least eight people were killed.

The prolonged, intense assault signalled a swift military escalation by Moscow. It happened the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the explosion that occurred on Saturday on the substantial bridge that connects Russia to its annexation of Crimea as a "terrorist act" orchestrated by Ukrainian special forces.

According to early reports, at least eight people were killed and 24 injured in just one of the attacks on Kiev, according to Rostyslav Smirnov, a consultant for the Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs.

After a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in recent weeks, the sustained barrage on major cities has hit both residential areas and vital infrastructure facilities, portending a significant uptick in the war. As Moscow's war in Ukraine approaches its eight-month mark and the Kremlin reels from humiliating battlefield setbacks in areas it is trying to annex, it happened just hours before Putin was scheduled to meet with his security council.

According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, explosions occurred in the Shevchenko district of the capital, a sizable area in the heart of Kyiv that is home to the city's old town and several government buildings.

Some of the strikes occurred close to the government district, which is the symbolic centre of the city's capital and home to the Parliament and other important sites. The majority of the blue-tinted windows in a glass office tower that was severely damaged were blown out.

On the streets, locals could be seen walking around with blood on their hands and clothes. A medic bandaged the head of a young man sitting on the ground wearing a blue jacket. The front of a woman's blouse was covered in blood, and she had bandages on her head. Additionally, several cars suffered partial or total destruction. In Kyiv as well as the rest of the nation, air raid sirens frequently sounded.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, claimed that Russian forces attacked his country with dozens of missiles and drones made in Iran.

According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 41 out of the 75 missiles that were fired at Ukrainian targets were destroyed by air defences.

According to Zelenskyy in a video address, the targets were residential areas and energy facilities in ten cities. To cause the most harm, Zelenskyy claimed that "(the Russians) purposefully selected such a time and such targets."

For the first time in months, the morning attacks forced residents of Kiev back into their bomb shelters. The city's subway system suspended train operations and reopened the stations as bomb shelters.

In major Ukrainian cities throughout the war, air raid sirens have persisted; however, in Kyiv and other areas where there has been months of calm, many Ukrainians have started to disregard their warnings and go about their daily lives.

On Monday morning, that changed. At the start of morning rush hour, when commuter traffic was starting to pick up, the attacks hit Kyiv. Near the Kyiv National University, at least one of the struck vehicles appeared to be a "marshrutka," a popular but frequently crowded alternate to the city's bus and metro routes.

A significant hole was left close to a playground in the well-known Shevchenko Park nearby after at least one strike there.

A photo shared on Twitter by Ukrainian parliamentarian Lesia Vasylenko revealed that at least one explosion happened close to the main building of the Kyiv National University in the city's centre.

As air raid sirens sounded for four continuous hours in every region of Ukraine, with the exception of Crimea, Russia also targeted civilian areas and energy infrastructure.

At an industrial site on the outskirts of the city, Associated Press reporters in Dnipro saw the bodies of numerous victims. Glass was all over the street because windows in the area had been blown out. A building for communications was struck.

Other locations where explosions were reported by Ukrainian media included Kharkiv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, and Kropyvnytskyi, which has served as a refuge for many people fleeing the fighting in the east.

According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, Kharkiv received three strikes. The strikes disrupted the water and electricity systems. Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi claimed that Lviv's energy infrastructure had also been impacted.

Russian ships in the Black Sea fired three cruise missiles at Ukraine; one of those missiles crossed into Moldova, according to Nicu Popescu, the country's minister of foreign affairs.

Zelenskyy claimed on his Telegram account that Russia is "trying to destroy us and wipe us off the face of the earth" in the midst of the assault.

The attacks seemed to be bringing Russia a new round of international condemnation.

Zelenskyy will speak during a videoconference on Tuesday between the Group of Seven industrial powers, according to the spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Steffen Hebestreit. The G-7 is presently led by Germany.

Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, cut short his trip to Africa and returned home after calling the attacks "terror on peaceful Ukrainian cities" on Twitter.

Some people feared that Monday's attacks might only be the opening shot in a new Russian offensive. According to a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, all schools in Ukraine must begin offering online courses at least this week.

Contributors to this report included Sabra Ayres in Kyiv, Vasilisa Stepanenko in Kharkiv, and Justin Spike and Yesica Fisch in Dnipro.