Ukraine's foreign minister says "Putin is a terrorist who talks with missiles"

October 10, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Tara Subramaniam, Sana Noor Haq, Ed Upright and Aditi Sangal, CNN

Updated 12:31 a.m. ET, October 11, 2022
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5:21 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Ukraine's foreign minister says "Putin is a terrorist who talks with missiles"

From CNN's Julia Kesaieva

A screen grab taken from a surveillance camera shows an explosion on a bridge in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on October 10.
A screen grab taken from a surveillance camera shows an explosion on a bridge in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on October 10. (AA Video/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

After reports of Russian missile attacks across Ukraine on Monday morning, Kyiv's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not break Ukraine down."

"Putin’s only tactic is terror on peaceful Ukrainian cities, but he will not break Ukraine down. This is also his response to all appeasers who want to talk with him about peace: Putin is a terrorist who talks with missiles," Kuleba tweeted.

Some context: Amid multiple explosions in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities early Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was trying to annihilate Ukraine.

In further comments on the waves of missile attacks across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday:

"The morning has been difficult. We are dealing with terrorists. Tens of missiles and Iranian shahids (drones). They have two targets. Energy facilities all over the country. Kiev and Khmelnitsk regions, Lviv and Dnipro, Lviv and Frankivsk regions, Zaporizhzhy and Sumy regions, Zhytomy and Kirovograd regions, south of the country," he added.

At least five people were killed in the attacks on Kyiv. Regional authorities also reported missile and rocket attacks in Kharkiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk Monday morning.

9:50 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

It's 12 p.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

From CNN staff

Multiple explosions shook Kyiv on Monday morning following weeks of relative calm in the Ukrainian capital. Other cities in Ukraine have also been hit by a large-scale Russian bombardment. Here are the latest developments:

  • Strikes hit Kyiv: The mayor of Kyiv has urged residents to remain in shelters today, after a children's playground was among the sites hit by four apparent Russian strikes that left multiple people dead.
  • Blasts rock Ukrainian cities: Regional authorities reported missile and rocket attacks in Kharkiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk on Monday morning, which appear to have been partly directed at power plants, bridges and other civilian infrastructure.
  • Global leaders condemn Moscow: European leaders criticized "Russia's relentless attacks" in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russian President Vladimir Putin "is a terrorist who talks with missiles," in the wake of the blasts in Kyiv.
  • Putin to chair Russia Security council meeting: The Russian president will hold an operational meeting of his Security Council on Monday, just two days after a massive explosion on a key strategic bridge linking Crimea and Russia.
  • Beijing calls for de-escalation in Ukraine: China has expressed hope that the situation in Ukraine will be “de-escalated soon.”
4:38 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Beijing calls for de-escalation after new strikes on Kyiv

From CNN’s Beijing bureau and Niamh Kennedy

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning attends a press conference in Beijing, China, on September 8.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning attends a press conference in Beijing, China, on September 8. (Kyodo News/Getty Images)

China has expressed hope that the situation in Ukraine will be “de-escalated soon,” following apparent Russian strikes on the capital Kyiv on Monday. 

Speaking during the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs daily briefing in Beijing on Monday, Chinese MOFA spokesperson Mao Ning said China had noted reports of both the explosion on the Kerch bridge linking Crimea with mainland Russia on Saturday and Monday’s strikes on Kyiv. 

Mao reiterated China’s position on the situation in Ukraine, stressing China has “always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected.” 

“We hope that all parties can properly resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation. China is also willing to continue to play a constructive role in promoting the de-escalation of the situation,” Mao added.
4:18 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Indian foreign minister refuses to reveal plans for UN vote on Russian annexations

From CNN's Jake Kwon, Richard Roth and Rhea Mogul 

India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar gives a press conference at the State Department on September 27, in Washington, DC.
India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar gives a press conference at the State Department on September 27, in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar declined on Monday to say whether New Delhi will vote to condemn Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory in a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session this week.

“As a matter of prudence and policy, we don’t predict our votes in advance,” Jaishankar said at a news conference with Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong in Canberra. Jaishankar is visiting Australia for the annual Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue.

The UNGA is expected to vote on Wednesday on a resolution that condemns Russia's recent annexation of Ukrainian provinces, which it says violates international law

Jaishankar said Monday India has been “very clearly against the conflict in Ukraine,” and that the country believes the war “does not serve the interests of anybody, neither the participants nor indeed of the international community.”

Some context: Although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin last month that “today’s era is not of war,” India has repeatedly abstained from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations.

India has kept buying Russian oil, coal and fertilizer throughout the conflict and in August, took part in Russia’s large-scale Vostok military exercises alongside China, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan, where Moscow paraded its vast arsenal.

4:04 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Widespread power outages across Ukraine's Sumy region following Russian strikes, official says

From CNN's Julia Kesaieva

Authorities in Sumy, in the northeast of Ukraine, say there are power outages across the region following missile attacks Monday.

"There are power outages in all districts of the region. In some places, because of it, there are problems with water supply," said Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, head of the Sumy military administration.
"In Konotop, two missiles hit an infrastructure facility. There are wounded.
"The alert continues, stay in shelters."
4:02 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

"Critical infrastructure" hit in Lviv, mayor says

From CNN's Tim Lister

Power cuts were reported in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Monday following an explosion "at a critical infrastructure facility," Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi posted on Telegram.

"Part of the city is without electricity. A third of the traffic lights do not work," Sadovyi wrote. "Due to the lack of electricity, the operation of the city's thermal power stations has been temporarily suspended. Therefore, hot water is not provided at the moment."

Standby power generators at several pumping stations were started to restore the water supply, he added.

Sadovyi urged residents to stay in shelters.

The wave of missile and rocket attacks Monday across Ukraine appears to have been in part directed at power plants, bridges and other civilian infrastructure. In addition to Lviv, attacks were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk.

4:13 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Kyiv subway suspends trains following missile attacks

From CNN's Alex Hardie

Emergency service personnel attend to the site of a blast on October 10, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Emergency service personnel attend to the site of a blast on October 10, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ed Ram/Getty Images)

Train traffic on all subway lines is suspended in Kyiv, the city’s official Telegram account said on Monday morning. 

Underground stations are working as shelters, the post said.

Earlier, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said the red line of Kyiv’s metro system is being used as a bomb shelter.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has advised residents to take shelter after explosions were reported in the capital. At least five people are dead and 12 injured, officials said.

3:50 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Regional authorities across Ukraine report missile and rocket attacks

From CNN's Tim Lister and Julia Kesaieva

Authorities in several Ukrainian cities are reporting rocket and missile attacks Monday morning.

In central Dnipropetrovsk, Valentyn Reznichenko, head of the regional military administration, said there had been a "massive rocket attack on the region. There are dead and wounded."

"Do not come out of the shelters. There is still a threat of rocket attacks," Reznichenko posted on Telegram.

Authorities in northeastern Kharkiv also reported attacks. Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv military administration, said there were explosions in the city.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said "initial reports indicate three strikes on Kharkiv."

"The impact was at an energy infrastructure facility. Some areas of the city lost power, there is no water supply," he said.

In the south, Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv region civil military administration, said Tu-95 bombers had launched waves of missile attacks, with 47 "projectiles" fired.  

Air defenses had shot down three rockets, he said. The Russians were also using Iranian-made attack drones, he added.

"Cowards are hitting the critical infrastructure (throughout all Ukraine)," Kim said.

Explosions were also reported early Monday in the western city of Lviv and the capital, Kyiv, where at least five people were killed. Casualties were also reported in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia after a Russian missile strike destroyed an apartment block.

4:25 a.m. ET, October 10, 2022

Explosions heard in western city of Lviv

From CNN's Petro Zadorozhnyy in Lviv, Ukraine

Smoke rises over the city after Russian missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine, on October 10.
Smoke rises over the city after Russian missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine, on October 10. (Pavlo Palamarchuk/Reuters)

Explosions have been heard in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv this morning, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi posted on Telegram. 

“Explosions are heard in Lviv… Stay in shelters,” he wrote. 

Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv regional military administration, posted on Telegram to say “energy infrastructure facilities” had been hit. 

“Strikes on energy infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region were recorded,” he wrote. He asked residents to stay in shelters and warned there was a “threat of new missile attacks.”

It comes as Ukrainian officials report around five people were killed in apparent Russian strikes on Kyiv on Monday morning and as further casualties were reported following a Russian strike on a residential building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.