October 10, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

In a television appearance Monday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia had struck military and infrastructure targets across Ukraine following the Crimea bridge blast on Saturday.

Putin threatened further "harsh" responses that correspond "to the level of threat to the Russian Federation, have no doubt about it,” while accusing Kyiv of "terrorism."

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kerch bridge, a key link between the Russian mainland and Crimea, which Moscow illegally in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he had an urgent call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, amid waves of Russian missile attacks across the country. 

"We discussed the strengthening of our air defense, the need for a tough European and international reaction, as well as increased pressure on the Russian Federation," Zelensky tweeted Monday.

Macron said France would be ready to increase support in terms of military equipment to Ukraine during the call.

The French president told Zelensky of his “extreme concerns” over the bombardment of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which lead to the damage of critical infrastructure civilian casualties.

Macron also reaffirmed France’s full support for Ukraine. 

The air raid alert in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv ended after nearly six hours, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The alert began at 6:47 a.m. local time (11:47 p.m. ET), and was over at 12:25 p.m (5:25 p.m. ET).

Huge blasts stunned Kyiv on Monday morning, in a series of Russian missile attacks that killed multiple people and damaged critical civilian infrastructure.

People are trapped under the remains of buildings in the Kyiv region following Monday morning’s Russian missile strikes across Ukraine's capital, according to a senior military official.

“People are under the rubble ... Rescuers and relevant services are working on the ground to save people as soon as possible,” Oleksii Kuleba, head of the regional military administration, said in a post on Telegram.

Kuleba said the attacks had damaged “critical infrastructure” and there could be “possible power outages and water supply interruptions.”

He advised residents to stock up on water and charge their cell phones.

Several Russian missiles launched from ships in the Black Sea crossed Moldovan airspace Monday morning, according to a senior government minister.

“Three cruise missiles launched on Ukraine this morning from Russian ships in the Black Sea crossed Moldova's airspace,” Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nico Popescu, said in a tweet.

“I instructed that Russia's ambassador be summoned to provide an explanation.”

Some background: Since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, the Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, in Moldova, has been brought into the spotlight.

Earlier this year, a series of unexplained explosions have occurred in parts of Transnistria, sparking fears that Moscow’s war could soon stretch beyond Ukraine and create a new theater of conflict in eastern Europe.

Transnistria is unrecognized by the international community, which considers it a part of Moldova. But the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, essentially has no control over the territory, which declared itself a republic more than three decades ago.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has appealed for more air defense systems in the wake of a devastating wave of nationwide attacks launched by Russia.

Kuleba tweeted he had spoken to his Canadian counterpart and stressed that “partners should join forces to immediately provide Ukraine with air and missile defense systems."

Kuleba will cut his Africa trip short to return to Ukraine and work with Kyiv's allies to coordinate "a resolute response," he added.

The deadly explosions across Ukraine on Monday morning prompted stinging rebukes from Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russians are "trying to annihilate us," while Kuleba called Russian President Vladimir Putin "a terrorist who talks with missiles."

CNN's Tim Lister, Josh Pennington and Julia Kesaieva contributed reporting.

Eleven sites of critical infrastructure have been struck in Kyiv and eight other regions of Ukraine, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Multiple explosions rang across Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities Monday, in a spate of violent Russian airstrikes that hit civilian infrastructure and left multiple people dead.

A senior Ukrainian military official has said "generations of Russians will answer" for a wave of explosions that struck multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday.

"The Russians are shameful losers. Did you intend to scare us?" Andrii Yermak, head of President Zelensky's office, said of the attacks.

"We will continue to destroy everyone who comes to Ukraine with weapons. These hits make us even angrier. These hits will only speed up our progress.

"We are not afraid. We are only getting angrier and more accurate," Yermak added.

Monday's assault appears to be the heaviest bombardment of missile and rocket attacks seen in most of Ukraine since February, targeting power plants, bridges, civilian infrastructure and other locations.

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The US Embassy in Kyiv has sent a message telling US citizens to shelter in place and depart Ukraine if they can do so safely.

“Russia has launched attacks against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure as well as government facilities in Kyiv and elsewhere. Russia’s continued strikes in Ukraine pose a direct threat to civilians and civilian infrastructure," the embassy said in a statement on Monday.

"The US Embassy urges US citizens to shelter in place and depart Ukraine now using privately available ground transportation options when it is safe to do so," the statement added.

Some background: The war in Ukraine has escalated in recent days, following a huge blast on the strategic Kerch Strait road-and-rail bridge Saturday.

The explosion was a major blow to what the Kremlin calls its special military operation in Ukraine, as it is the only bridge between the annexed Crimea peninsula and the Russian mainland.

On Monday morning explosions rocked cities across Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure and leaving multiple people dead.