Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained five Russians and three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia over the explosion that damaged the Crimea Bridge last Saturday.
The FSB said the attack was orchestrated by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, and its director Kyrylo Budanov.
Ukraine has not officially confirmed its involvement in the blast, but some Ukrainian officials have celebrated the damage.
The explosion on the twelve mile-long bridge destroyed one section of the road bridge, temporarily halting road traffic.
It also destroyed several fuel tankers on a train heading towards the annexed peninsula from neighbouring southern Russia.
The bridge, a prestigious project personally opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, had become logistically vital to his military campaign, with supplies to Russian troops fighting in south Ukraine channelled through it.
Russian forces launched mass missile strikes against Ukrainian cities, including power supplies.
At a televised meeting of Russia's Security Council on Monday, Putin said the strikes were a retaliation for the Crimea bridge blast, which he said had been organised by Ukraine's secret services.
Russian missiles slammed into cities, leaving thousands without electricity and water in a second day of attacks that have killed at least 23 people.
The air strikes by cruise missiles and explosive drones also wounded over 100 people as the West accused Vladimir Putin of targeting civilians.
In Lviv, 30 per cent of the city was affected by power cuts and thousands were left with no water after three explosions.
Ukraine ’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said today's bomb strikes on power and water infrastructure were “war crimes” which aimed to create “unbearable conditions for civilians”.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg accused Russia of “horrific and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure”.
Military expert Professor Michael Clarke told Sky News: “The Russians are condemning the Ukrainians to a pretty miserable existence in the winter.”
It comes as the West is scrambling to supply more air defence systems to Ukraine with Germany and the US promising weapons within hours of the Lviv attack.
Streets in Kyiv were largely deserted as air-raid sirens blared at the start of rush hour today, and thousands took shelter in underground bunkers.
Kyiv resident Viktoriya Moshkivski, 35, and her family were among hundreds waiting for the all-clear in the Zoloti Vorota station, near a park bombed on Monday.
She said: “Putin thinks if he scares the population, he can ask for concessions, but he is not scaring us. He is p***ing us off.”
