Kyiv Bracing for the Worst After Russian Attacks Leave Areas ‘Unarmed’

Energy and electrical infrastructure was damaged Monday as a result of Russian rockets launched in Ukraine, officials said, two days after an explosion on the Kerch Bridge that connects Russia to Crimea.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on Facebook that “Russian terrorists are mass bombing Ukrainian cities today,” saying that initial targets included a playground, museums and educational institutions. Deaths were reported, although the amount of casualties is unclear.

Shelling that hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure at about 11 a.m. local time in a reported 11 regions and cities is having a nationwide impact, as eight regions have already reported issues with water supplies. Shmyhal said Ukrainian government agencies have begun the implementation of an operational plan for recovery. Some areas are currently “unarmed” due to the outages.

It was expected that “most” energy infrastructure would be restored Monday, and some Tuesday. Shmyhal said power has already been restored in the cities of Sumy, Kharkiv and Zhytomyr.

Emergency outages are being tended to in areas including the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions.

“The main purpose of these war criminals is to sow panic, scare, leave Ukrainians without light and heat,” Shmyhal wrote. “All services are working on site, we are restoring our infrastructure promptly. We will do everything to restore all objects as soon as possible.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram that Russian “terrorists” utilizing rockets and Iranian drones “want panic and chaos” by negatively impacting Ukraine’s energy system. He believes the sites and targets were chosen deliberately, simply to “cause as much damage as possible.”

Emergency services personnel attend the site of a blast on October 10, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Monday’s explosions, which came shortly after 8 a.m. local time, were the largest such attacks in the capital in months. Ed Ram/Getty Images

“On the 229th day [of the war], they are trying to destroy us and wipe us off the face of the earth,” Zelensky wrote. “Destroy our people who are sleeping at home in Zaporizhzhia. Kill people who go to work in Dnipro and Kyiv.

“The air alarm does not subside throughout Ukraine. There are missiles hitting. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. Please do not leave shelters. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Let’s hold on and be strong.”

Shmyhal encouraged Ukrainian citizens to limit electricity consumption, “especially in the evening hours, for these few days” while systems are being repaired. He pleaded for them to not turn on energy-consuming appliances, such as electric heaters, boilers, electric stoves, microwaves, washing machines, electric kettles, coffee makers and irons.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the President’s Office, asked Ukrainians to limit electricity consumption from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday, the Kyiv Independent reported.

Christopher Miller, a Ukraine correspondent for FT, tweeted on Monday morning that “the very center of Kyiv was hit, right beside Shevchenko Park.”

“Closest strike to the heart of Kyiv and the government quarter yet, and the first against it in many weeks,” he wrote. “The missile struck a major intersection during morning rush hour.”

Another impacted site in Kyiv was a pedestrian and tourist attraction known as the Klitschko Bridge. Video from different angles showed the bridge being shelled, causing fire and an explosion.

According to Trip Advisor, the bridge—made from concrete, iron and glass—is about 212 meters long and opened in May.

As some in Russia have suggested, Monday’s shelling might be “payback” for Ukraine’s attack on the Kerch Bridge on Saturday. Russians, including Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, have openly expressed anger about Saturday’s explosion.

Andrij Yermak, head of the President’s Office of Ukraine, tweeted that Ukraine requires more modern anti-missile systems to shoot down Russian missiles launched at Ukrainian cities.

“More weapons and AMD (air and missile defense) to secure our sky – that’s what we need badly,” Yermak wrote.

Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian and Russian defense ministries for comment.