Explosions Rock at Least 14 Ukraine Cities After Russia Vows Bridge Revenge

Explosions have been reported in key cities and regions across Ukraine, shortly after the Kremlin vowed to take revenge in response to a blast on the only bridge connecting the annexed Crimean Peninsula with Russia.

Massive blasts tore through the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, during rush hour on Monday morning, sending residents fleeing into bomb shelters.

Explosions were also reported in the southern Kharkiv region, where Ukraine conducted a successful counteroffensive in September, as well as in Dnipro in central Ukraine, Lviv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, a city in the Sumy region, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Obukhiv, Kryvyi Rih, and in Poltava and Vinnytsia.

Some of the explosions were the work of Ukraine's air defense, authorities said.

Ukrainian police said at least five people had been killed and 12 were wounded in the attacks on the capital.

The blasts came shortly after Russia's Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would respond to the blast on the Kerch Bridge "by directly killing terrorists."

The explosion over the Kerch Strait damaged a key supply route for Russia's forces amid the Kremlin's flagging war effort in Ukraine. Kyiv hasn't claimed responsibility.

Responding to news of the blasts in major cities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to "wipe us off the face of the earth."

"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," Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram.

"The air raid sirens do not subside throughout Ukraine. There are missiles hitting. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded."

The attacks marked a significant escalation of the war.

Russia last launched a missile attack on Kyiv on June 26, striking a residential building in the Shevchenkiv district. One person died, and several were injured in that attack.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Office of the President, said Russian missiles had hit a children's playground and a museum located in Kyiv's center.

"The children's playground and the Khanenko museum in the center of the capital, this is where the Russian terrorists aimed. They are killing culture and our children," he said on Telegram.

Ukrainian government officials also shared images showing the aftermath of this morning's Kyiv strikes.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the attacks showed the Russian president "is a terrorist who talks with missiles."

"Multiple Russian missile strikes across Ukraine. Putin's only tactic is terror on peaceful Ukrainian cities, but he will not break Ukraine down. This is also his response to all appeasers who want to talk with him about peace: Putin is a terrorist who talks with missiles," Kuleba tweeted.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Monday that Russia had launched 75 missiles in the space of a few hours, of which, 41 were shot down by air defenses.

Zelensky has urged Ukrainians to stay in shelters today.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries for comment.