'The capital is under attack by Russian terrorists': Dozens of missiles hit Kyiv and at least eight people killed
At least eight people have been killed and dozens injured in Kyiv with several other cities being targeted in Russian missile attacks.
Rostyslav Smyrnov, an aide to the interior minister, said six cars had caught fire after the initial attack - and another 15 vehicles were damaged.
Explosions have also been heard in Lviv, Ternopil, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, and Zaporizhzhia.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video post that showed him outside his presidential office: "They want panic and chaos, they want to destroy our energy system.
"The second target is people. Such a time and such targets were specially chosen to cause as much damage as possible."
Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko said some critical infrastructure had been hit, adding: "The capital is under attack from Russian terrorists!
"The rockets hit objects in the city centre (in the Shevchenkiv district) and in the Solomyan district. The air alert, and therefore the threat, continues.
"I appeal to all residents of the capital: stay in shelters during the alarm. If there is no urgent need, it is better not to go to the city today."
Ukraine's top general said Ukrainian forces shot down at least 41 missiles on Monday morning.
"This morning, 75 missiles were launched. 41 of them were neutralised by our air defence," General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi,
Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, wrote on Twitter.
A witness told the Reuters news agency that black smoke was seen rising from a building in the city centre following the sound of a blast.
Others on social media posted images alleging to be from the city, with some claiming a "missile attack" was "struck down" by Ukrainian forces.
The last attack on Kyiv was in June with one missile hitting an apartment building, killing one and injuring six.
Sky News security and defence editor Deborah Haynes said: "There's been relative calm there in recent months.
"This is very unusual to have strikes right in the heart of the city, where the government offices are.
"We don't yet have confirmation of what has been hit... but an adviser to the president has tweeted just now calling Russia a terrorist state again with photographs of flames behind a building."
However, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, tweeted: "Putin accuses Ukraine of terrorism? Sounds too cynical even for Russia.
"Less than 24 hours ago (Russian) planes hit residential area of Zaporizhzhia with 12 missiles, killing 13 people and injuring more than 50.
"There is only one terrorist state here and the whole world knows who it is."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...c11ba9ce47e153