Russia’s Escalating Assault on Ukrainian Cities Leaves Residents in Fear and Panic.

On Monday morning, Kyiv was hit by a sudden bombardment from the Russian Armed Forces deployed in Crimea. Several hypersonic ballistic missiles were fired from the illegally annexed peninsula, causing damage in three districts of the capital. Later in the afternoon, Russia launched ballistic missiles from the Black Sea targeting Odessa and Kremenchuk, as well as the province of Kirovograd.

The speed at which the projectiles reached Kyiv caused panic among citizens, who were not warned by anti-aircraft alarms. This marked the third attack on Kyiv in five days and the fourth large-scale attack on multiple Ukrainian provinces. Russian and Ukrainian military analysts identified Zircon missiles as being used for the first time against Kyiv in February. The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting two of the missiles in the capital, but at least five explosions were heard.

Ukraine faces a serious deficit in anti-aircraft ammunition, leading to bursts of anti-aircraft machine gun fire in an attempt to shoot down the missiles. Ukrainian officials have stressed the need for more anti-aircraft defenses to protect cities and save lives. Damage was reported in multiple districts of Kyiv, including destruction of a municipal administration headquarters and Academy of Decorative Arts and Design. In Odessa, at least two large explosions were reported near Sports Palace, resulting in injuries and damage to civilian structures.

The Russian military intensified its bombings against Ukrainian targets following accusations by Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian intelligence services launched bomb drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, leading to disruptions in fuel production. These events have triggered retaliatory bombings by Russia against Ukraine’s cities and military targets. The conflict continues to escalate with both sides engaging in strategic attacks and counterattacks