As Russia launched its biggest aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities since the beginning of its invasion, thousands were seen fleeing to bomb shelters as many civilian areas were hit. The strikes tore into tourist sites, children’s playgrounds, parks and universities killing 14 people and wounding 97.
Read more: Videos: Ukrainians sing patriotic songs amid Russian attacks
Videos shared widely on social media showed the extent of damage in the civilian areas in Ukraine.
Massive explosions were reported in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and other cities: Lviv, Ternopil and Zhytomyr in western Ukraine, Dnipro and Kremenchuk in the centre, Zaporizhzhia in the south and Kharkiv in the east.
Over 11 major infrastructure targets were hit in eight regions, leaving parts of Ukraine with no electricity, water or heat.
The rush-hour attacks were ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin following an attack on a bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea, he said in address.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the attacks were deliberately timed to kill people and damage Ukraine’s power grid.
“We will do everything to strengthen our armed forces. “We will make the battlefield more painful for the enemy,” Zelensky said.
