Russia again pounds critical infrastructure in several Ukrainian cities

Ukrainian officials on Monday morning reported a massive barrage of Russian strikes on critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities.

Part of the Ukrainian capital was cut off from power and water supplies as a result, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Officials reported possible power outages in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia following the strikes.

Agence France-Presse quoted  the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidency, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, as saying, “Russian terrorists have again launched a massive attack against electricity installations in a number of Ukrainian regions.”

Critical infrastructure objects were also hit in the Cherkasy region southeast of Kyiv and explosions were reported in other regions of Ukraine.

In the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine, the energy facility was hit, according to local authorities. In Vinnytsia, a missile that was shot down landed on civilian buildings, resulting in damage but no casualties, according to regional governor Serhii Borzov.

In Kharkiv, the subway ceased operating. Some parts of Ukrainian railways were also cut off from power, the Ukrainian Railways reported.

The attacks came two days after Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet off the coast of the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying Russia mishandled its own weapons, but Moscow still announced it was halting its participation in a U.N.-brokered deal to allow safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukraine.

Commenting on Monday’s attacks, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office Andriy Yermak said Russian forces “continue to fight with civilian facilities.”

“We will persevere, and generations of Russians will pay a high price for their disgrace,” Yermak said.

It was the second time this month that Russia unleashed a massive barrage of strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. On Oct. 10, a similar attack rocked the war-torn country following an explosion on the Kerch Bridge linking annexed Crimea to mainland Russia, an incident Moscow blamed on Kyiv.