Russia launched a major rush-hour attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure on Monday for the third time this month, prompting travelers to fight for protection and cripple basic facilities for thousands of Ukrainians.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said on social media that 80 percent of the battered capital without water and moving on electricity services had left 350,000 apartments without electricity.
Missile and drone infrastructure movements were also reported in Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhzhia and several other regions. The government will introduce emergency force cuts in Ukraine, according to President Kyrylo Tymoshenko’s deputy chief.
The moves came after Moscow claimed its Black Sea fleet in Crimea had come under attack over the weekend. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia would “fight civilians” instead of fighting on the battlefield.
“Don’t justify those attacks as a ‘response,'” he said. Russia is doing this, it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians. “
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Other developments:
Norway says it is stepping up army readiness, but NATO Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says there is no explanation for why “Russia will have to invade Norway or any other country directly. “
►Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down Russian missiles on Monday morning.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Filala and many senior members of his government arrived in Kyiv on Monday as part of EU leaders’ latest display for Ukraine.
Thousands of Russian recruits are coming to the front with weapons that “are in slightly usable condition” and require different ammunition than normal Russian army troops use, Britain’s Defense Ministry said in its latest assessment of the war. The images imply that the rifles are AKMs, dating back to 1959.
The integration of reservists with contracted infantrymen and veterans in Ukraine will mean Russia will have to bring two small arms ammunition units to frontline positions, the ministry said.
“This is very likely to further complicate Russia’s already strained logistics systems,” the assessment said.
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Contribute: The Associated Press