A series of powerful explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early Monday, a day after Moscow blamed Ukraine for a deadly blast on a bridge linking Crimea with Russia.
The explosions hit Kyiv at 8:15 a.m. local time, and an AFP journalist in the city saw several ambulances heading to the blast site.
“Several explosions took place in the Shevchenkivskyi district – in the center of the capital,” Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said on social media.
Videos posted on social media showed black smoke billowing from several parts of the city.
The last Russian attack on Kyiv took place on June 26.
The blasts came a day after Moscow blamed Ukraine for an explosion on a bridge linking Crimea with Russia, which killed three people.
“The authors, perpetrators and sponsors are Ukrainian secret services,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said of Saturday’s Crimean bridge bombing, which he called a “terrorist act.”
Putin spoke during a meeting with the head of the investigative committee set up to investigate the bombing, according to Russian news agencies.
The Kremlin told local news agencies that Russian leaders were preparing for a meeting with their Security Council later on Monday.
“Tomorrow the president plans to meet with the permanent members of the Security Council,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The explosion that hit the bridge sparked celebrations from Ukrainians and others on social media.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not directly mention the incident in his late-night address on Saturday, and authorities in Kyiv did not claim direct responsibility.
On Saturday, Russia said some road and rail traffic had resumed on the strategic link, a symbol of the Kremlin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The 19 km long bridge is an important supply link between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.
Some military analysts say the explosion could have a bigger impact if Moscow sees the need to move already hard-pressed troops from other regions to Crimea — or if it rushes residents to leave. can
Mick Ryan, a retired senior Australian officer now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that if Kyiv had not been behind the explosion, it would have had “massive leverage for Ukraine.” “Operation Victory”.
“This is a demonstration to Russians and the rest of the world that Russia’s military cannot protect any recently annexed province,” he said on Twitter.
7/ A third and final point: this is a massive influence operation win for Ukraine. Even if they didn’t do it, it is a demonstration to Russians, and the rest of the world, that Russia’s military cannot protect any of the provinces it recently annexed.
— Mick Ryan, AM (@WarintheFuture) October 8, 2022
‘Brutal Attacks’
Meanwhile, Zelensky condemned Sunday’s Russian missile attack that killed at least 13 people, including a child, in Zaporizhzhia – the latest deadly bombing of the southern Ukrainian city.
According to a statement from the president’s office, 89 people, including 11 children, were injured in the attack.
Zielinski described the “brutal attacks on peaceful people” and residential buildings as “absolute evil” by “savages and terrorists”.
Regional official Oleksandr Starkh posted pictures of heavily damaged apartment blocks on Telegram and said a rescue operation had been launched to find people buried under the rubble.
Meanwhile, Russian officials on Sunday condemned what they said was an increase in fires on its territory in Ukraine that have targeted homes, administrative buildings and a monastery.
Russia’s FBS, which is responsible for border security, said on Sunday: “Since the beginning of October, the number of attacks by Ukrainian armed organizations on the border territory of Russia has increased significantly.”
More than 100 artillery strikes, focused on the western border regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, hit residential and administrative buildings, the statement said.
One person was killed and five were injured in these attacks.
