Russia launches deadly retaliation strikes

2022-10-10

Kyiv was struck by multiple missiles for the first time in months and several other Ukrainian cities took severe blows in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called retaliation for a weekend explosion on a major Russian-built bridge.

At least 14 civilians were killed and nearly 100 were wounded, Ukraine Emergency Service reported. Homes, businesses, roads and vehicles were left in ruins just two days after a major bridge linking occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland was damaged by an apparent truck bomb. Putin blamed Ukrainian special forces for that blast.

President Joe Biden, who spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, issued a statement pledging support for Ukraine. He condemned the strikes that "killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose" and demonstrate the "utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war" on Ukraine.

Cars burn after Russian military attack hits central Kyiv on October 10, 2022[Gleb Garanich/Reuters]