At least 11 dead as Russia bombards Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities

The sustained barrage on major cities hit residential areas and critical infrastructure facilities alike, portending a major escalation in the war amid a Ukrainian counter-offensive in recent weeks

Petr Lisovoi, 61, works to remove debris from a damaged house after an overnight Russian shelling, in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine. Picture: AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko

Russia unleashed a lethal barrage of strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday, bombarding civilian targets including central Kyiv where at least 11 people were killed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the strikes were retaliation for what he called Kyiv’s “terrorist” actions, including an attack last weekend on a key bridge between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula that is prized by the Kremlin.