Putin drives across repaired Crimea bridge as Russian missiles hit Ukraine

Russia on Monday unleashed what Ukrainian authorities called the latest massive missile attack across their country, striking homes and buildings, killing civilians, and disrupting electrical power and water supplies in areas, notably in the Black Sea port city of Odesa. Ukraine’s air force claimed it shot down more than 60 of the 70 missiles fired.

Hours earlier, explosions rocked two air bases deep inside Russia, and the defense ministry in Moscow said it had shot down two Ukrainian drones attacking the sites, and that three Russian servicemen were killed by falling debris and four others were wounded.

The attacks at the bases in the Saratov region on the Volga River and the Dyagilevo base in the Ryazan region in western Russia raised the threat of a dangerous escalation in the war.

Russia’s defense ministry said the attack on its bases were part of Ukraine’s efforts to curtail operations of Russia’s long-range bomber force.

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Kyiv had not commented on the explosions at the Russian bases.

Putin’s drive

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, drove a car across a bridge linking his country to the Crimean Peninsula following its repair from a truck bombing in October that had embarrassed Moscow.

Russia responded to the bridge attack by firing waves of missiles at Ukrainian infrastructure targets in the weeks that followed, and Monday’s onslaught was just the latest round of retaliatory strikes. Russia is seeking to disable Ukraine’s energy supplies and infrastructure as winter approaches as part of a new strategy in its nine-month war.

Defiant as ever, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his military forces and the technicians who snapped into action to repair the damage.

“Air defense shot down most of the missiles,” he said in brief comments on social media. “Power engineers have already started to restore electricity. Our people never give up.”

Ukraine’s air force said early indications showed Russian forces fired 38 cruise missiles from carriers in the Caspian Sea and from the southern Russian region of Rostov. Another 22 Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from its Black Sea fleet, and kong-range bombers, fighter jets and guided missiles were also involved, it said.

“In total, more than 60 invaders missiles were shot down!” the air force said on its Telegram channel.

Power blackout

Ukraine’s electricity provider, Ukrenergo, lashed out at Russia over the eighth massive missile attacks, saying its facilities had been hit, triggering blackouts. It urged residents to stay in shelters as its crews tried to repair the damage.

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In Kyiv, scores of people quickly filled the central Zoloti Vorota metro station after the warnings, and many checked their phones for updates. There were no immediate signs of whether the city or the surrounding region was hit.

Air raid sirens sounded across the country. Ukrainian media reported explosions in several parts of the country south of Kyiv, including Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa. Officials said water, electricity and central heating was cut to many parts of Odesa.

(With Agency inputs)