Russia steps up targeting of Ukrainian cities
Kyiv endures 3rd missile attack in the past 5 days
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched missiles against Kyiv for the third time in five days and also targeted other regions Monday as Moscow escalated its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities while the front line in the war remains largely stationary.
Nine people were injured in the morning strike on the Ukrainian capital, the Ukraine Rescue Service said. The Pecherskyi district was the hardest hit. Missile debris damaged homes in two districts and a local college gym in another district, Ukraine’s National Police said.
Russia fired two ballistic missiles at Kyiv from occupied Crimea in the daylight attack, but both were intercepted above the city, said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Later in the day, Ukrainian news outlets reported at least two explosions in the southern city of Odesa as Russian missile strikes also targeted several other regions. There was no immediate word on injuries or damage there.
Even before the killings, Russia stepped up attacks against Ukraine’s energy system, on Friday launching the biggest strike at facilities in the sector since the invasion began more than two years ago. The city of Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast suffered the most damage — and continues to rely on backup generators for critical needs.
“Russia continues to target our energy infrastructure,” national power grid operator Ukrenergo said on Telegram. Two substations were damaged in the Odesa and Mykolayiv regions. Restricted electricity consumption in Odesa was further reduced, after debris from a downed drone fell on a substation, according to Ukrenergo.
Russian attacks have caused as much as $100 million in damage to Ukraine’s power grid over the past three days, Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said on Facebook on Sunday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his appeal to international partners for more protection against Russian strikes.
“We never tire of repeating that Ukraine needs more air defense,” he said in a statement on Telegram. “All of us in the world who respect and protect life need to stop this terror.”
On Thursday, Russia attacked Kyiv for the first time in six weeks, firing more than two dozen missiles before dawn. On Friday, Russia unleashed a massive attack against Ukraine’s energy sector, calling the assault retaliation for recent strikes on Russian soil.
Days of intense Ukrainian shelling of the Russian border region of Belgorod led Russia to announce plans to evacuate about 9,000 children.
The bombardment of Kyiv also came three days after a concert hall attack in Russia killed more than 130 people.
Mr. Putin could use the Moscow attack to shore up support for the war and as a pretext to escalate attacks on Ukraine, analysts said.