Vladimir Putin stands accused by a UK minister of the “vile” targeting of civilians in Ukraine after a series of apparent missile strikes on the country’s cities, seemingly in retaliation for the attack on the bridge linking Russia and Crimea.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat branded the strikes on Ukrainian cities “war crimes” while Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said they were “unacceptable”.
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was targeted for the first time in months, while there were also reports of explosions in Dnipro, Lviv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr and Kropyvnytskyi.
The timing of the attacks suggests they were a response to Ukraine’s strike against the Kerch Bridge, the crossing between Russia and annexed Crimea which has both strategic and symbolic importance.
Russian President Mr Putin called the attack “a terrorist act” masterminded by Ukrainian special services.
The attack on Kyiv resulted in explosions in the city’s Shevchenko district, a central area that includes the historic old town as well as several government offices.
BBC journalist Hugo Bachega was broadcasting live when the attack happened, with the sound of a missile overhead and subsequent explosion captured on his microphone.
He could be seen ducking for cover as the blast rocked the capital during his piece on BBC World, and he escaped to safety with his crew.
Lesia Vasylenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, posted a photo on Twitter showing that at least one explosion occurred near the main building of the Kyiv National University in central Kyiv.
“What is Russia trying to hit?” she asked. “The national university? The park? Or the playground?”
A glass pedestrian bridge, which had been a popular attraction, was also struck.
“People would have been jogging this morning,” Ms Vasylenko said.
Foreign Secretary Mr Cleverly offered the UK’s “ongoing moral and practical support” to his counterpart in Kyiv, Dmytro Kuleba.
“Russia’s firing of missiles into civilian areas of Ukraine is unacceptable,” the Foreign Secretary said.
“This is a demonstration of weakness by Putin, not strength.”
Mr Tugendhat said: “Targeting civilians is a vile act.
“Russian war crimes start as a record of failure and disgrace.”
The UK’s ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said British staff in Kyiv were safe and added that her thoughts were with those injured in the city.
Ukraine’s defence ministry said 75 missiles were launched by Russia, of which 41 were shot down.
Defence minister Oleksii Reznikov stepped up calls for Western allies to supply more equipment, saying: “The best response to Russian missile terror is the supply of anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems to Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said an urgent meeting of the G7 group of leading nations, which includes the UK, had been scheduled to discuss the situation.
He said the move had been agreed with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who holds the rotating presidency of the group.
We are keeping a close eye on these increasingly reckless tactics being used by Russia in response to Ukraine’s advance— Prime Minister's official spokesman
The G7 call will take place at 1pm on Tuesday, with Mr Zelensky joining for part of the discussion.
Downing Street condemned the “needless and senseless violence” in Ukraine.
“We are keeping a close eye on these increasingly reckless tactics being used by Russia in response to Ukraine’s advance,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
