KYIV —
Russian forces launched a barrage of fatal
bombardments across Ukraine early on Monday and President Vladimir Putin vowed
even more “severe” retaliation against Kyiv.
اضافة اعلان
The biggest wave of strikes across Ukraine in months
killed at least 11 people nationwide and was apparent retaliation for an
explosion this weekend that damaged a key bridge linking Russia to the
Moscow-annexed
Crimean Peninsula.
The Ukrainian military said Russian forces had fired
more than 80 missiles on cities across the country and that Russia had also
used Iranian drones launched from neighboring Belarus.
“Let there be no doubt,” Putin said in televised
comments addressed to his security council, “if attempts at terrorist attacks
continue, the response from Russia will be severe.”
Putin’s predecessor, Dmitry Medvedev, warned on
social media that the strikes — which disrupted water and electricity services
across Ukraine — were only “the first episode”.
Energy infrastructure targeted
Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian strikes had aimed to take down Ukrainian
energy infrastructure. Regional officials across the country confirmed
widespread disruptions to services.
Russia’s defense
ministry meanwhile confirmed it had targeted Ukrainian energy, military
command, and communications facilities, claiming the strikes had been a success
and “achieved their aims”.
Ukraine’s foreign minister said the attacks had not
been “provoked” and the onslaught was Moscow’s response to a series of
embarrassing military losses in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky said on social media meanwhile that he had
spoken with the leaders of France and Germany and urged them to “increase
pressure” on Russia.
Crimean bridge attack
Belarusian President
Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin’s, meanwhile claimed on Monday that
Ukraine was preparing an attack on his country’s territory.
He said Russia and Belarus would “deploy” troops
together, without specifying where.
The autocratic leader also accused Ukraine,
alongside neighboring Poland and Lithuania, of training Belarusian militants to
carrying out attacks at home.
The strikes across Ukraine came a day after Moscow
blamed Kyiv for the blast that damaged a bridge linking Crimea to Russia,
leaving three people dead.
“The authors, perpetrators, and sponsors are the
Ukrainian secret services,” Putin said of Saturday’s bridge bombing, which he
described as a “terrorist act”.
The blast that hit the bridge sparked celebrations
by Ukrainians and others on social media.
But Zelensky, in his nightly address on Saturday,
did not directly mention the incident, and officials in Kyiv have made no
direct claim of responsibility.
On Saturday, Russia said some road and rail traffic
had resumed over the strategic link, a symbol of the Kremlin’s 2014 annexation
of Crimea.
The 19km is also a vital supply link between Russia
and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Some military analysts argue that the explosion could have a
major impact if Moscow sees the need to shift already hard-pressed troops to
Crimea from other regions — or if it prompts a rush by residents to leave.
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