War in Ukraine, day 866 | Massive Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, dozens dead

(Kyiv) Russia carried out a massive attack on cities in Ukraine on Monday, leaving at least 37 people dead, some in hospitals, on the eve of a major NATO summit where US President Joe Biden promised “new measures” to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

These new strikes have sparked indignation in Kyiv and its supporters and raised questions about the state of Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense, once again put to the test after previous Russian bombings that notably targeted power plants and military airfields.

“Today Russia attacked Ukrainian cities. More than 170 people were injured. At the moment, we know that there were 37 deaths, including three children,” Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Monday evening.

“In total, almost 100 buildings were damaged: a children’s hospital, houses, kindergartens, a maternity hospital, a college, a business center,” he detailed, after previously mentioning strikes in different cities: Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rig, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk.

From Warsaw, where he is on a visit, the Ukrainian president called on the West to provide a “stronger response” to Russia. He also requested that an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council be convened.

“Russian missiles must be shot down. Russian fighter jets must be destroyed at their bases. Strong measures must be taken that will not leave any security deficit,” Volodymyr Zelensky hammered home on the eve of a NATO summit.

The toll of these shots deep into Ukrainian territory is one of the highest in months, reflecting the wear and tear of Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses.

In Kyiv, two medical centres were hit, including a major children’s facility, killing at least 22 people. Eleven people were also killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region (central-eastern) and three in Pokrovsk (eastern). At least 140 people were injured in total.

Authorities in the capital have declared a day of mourning on Tuesday.

“One of the most important children’s hospitals in Europe,” the Okhmatdyt hospital, was damaged in Kyiv, Mr. Zelensky denounced on X.

“Russia cannot claim that it does not know where its missiles are falling and must be held fully responsible,” he added. According to Ukrainian security services, at least two people were killed in the hospital and seven children were among the injured.

Missile Rain

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said the Russians had fired “cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, as well as Kinjal,” air-to-ground missiles.

Moscow denies this, claiming to have targeted and hit “military installations” and asserting that the images prove that the damage to the facility was caused by the fall of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.

On the scene, hundreds of people, rescuers, relatives, police officers, rushed to help the victims, clear up, and find their loved ones.

Joe Biden on Monday denounced these strikes, “an atrocious reminder” of the “brutality” demonstrated by Russia, and promised “new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s anti-aircraft defenses.”

“Together with our allies, we will announce new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses to help protect its cities and civilians from Russian strikes,” said the American president, who is hosting a NATO summit in Washington from Tuesday.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell deplored Russia’s “merciless targeting of Ukrainian civilians”, saying that “Ukraine needs air defence now”.

Paris spoke of “barbaric acts” to be “added to the list of war crimes for which Russia will have to account”, while London denounced a “horrible attack” and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “heinous” act.

In total, Ukrainians claim that the Russians fired 38 missiles, 30 of which were shot down.

The Russian military regularly strikes deep inside Ukrainian territory, particularly targeting energy facilities and factories and killing civilians in a strategy that Kyiv says is aimed at undermining Ukrainian morale.

Private energy operator DTEK reported on Telegram that three of its power substations had been destroyed or damaged in the capital. Several industrial sites were affected, according to authorities.

Ukraine has only a limited number of air defense systems and ammunition and is constantly demanding more from its Western allies.

Zelensky in Warsaw before NATO

The strikes come at a time when the Russian army is gaining ground on the front lines and trying to take advantage of the Ukrainian army’s difficulties in replenishing its ranks and obtaining more weapons and ammunition from the West.

NATO’s support for Ukraine will be the main topic of discussion at Tuesday’s meeting in the United States, as well as the uncertainties surrounding the November US elections and a possible victory for Donald Trump.

The latter has repeatedly said that he would end the war very quickly, which would implicitly be to the detriment of the Ukrainians who have been resisting the Russian invasion for almost two and a half years.

Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security agreement with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Monday before heading to the summit in Washington.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Moscow. India has not explicitly condemned the invasion of Ukraine and abstains from voting on UN resolutions against its traditional ally Russia.

In Washington, US Foreign Ministry spokesman Matthew Miller urged him to “make it clear that any resolution of the conflict in Ukraine requires respect for the UN Charter with regard to the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the sovereignty of Ukraine.”