Ukraine vowed to strengthen its armed forces after Russia launched its biggest aerial assaults on cities since the beginning of the war, forcing thousands to flee to bomb shelters and prompting Kyiv to halt electricity exports to Europe.

Russia launches biggest air strikes since start of Ukraine war

Conflict

  • Russian missiles hit targets across Ukraine killing 14 people and wounding 97, emergency services said, as they tore into intersections, parks and tourist sites.

  • Russia’s defence ministry said it had hit “all designated targets” in its massive missile attack on Ukrainian military, communications and energy infrastructure.

  • Russian President Putin said he ordered “massive” long-range strikes after accusing Ukraine of an attack on a bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea on Saturday.

  • Ukrainian President Zelenskiy spoke to US President Biden and wrote on Telegram afterwards that air defence was the “number 1 priority in our defence cooperation”. Biden told Zelenskiy the United States would provide advanced air defence systems.

  • Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmygal said 11 infrastructure facilities in eight regions and in the capital of Kyiv were damaged in the Russian strikes.

  • Belarusian President Lukashenko ordered troops to deploy with Russian forces near Ukraine in response to what he said was a clear threat to Belarus from Kyiv and its Western backers.

  • The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had temporarily halted its work in Ukraine for security reasons.

  • Hundreds of people protested outside the Russian embassy in Warsaw, calling for Russia to be designated a terrorist state and for its diplomats to be expelled.

Economy, diplomacy

  • The United Nations General Assembly voted to reject Russia’s call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow’s move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.

  • Putin may meet Turkish President Erdogan this week to discuss Ankara’s proposal to host talks between Russia and the West on Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

  • Group of Seven leaders will hold a call on Tuesday with Ukraine’s Zelenskiy, British Prime Minister Truss’s spokesperson said.

  • Hong Kong’s leader said there was “no legal basis” for the city to act on Western sanctions, when asked about a Russian yacht berthed in the city that belongs to a sanctioned Russian oligarch.

Quotes

  • “We will do everything to strengthen our armed forces … We will make the battlefield more painful for the enemy,” Zelenskiy said.

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