Ukraine under siege: Russian missile barrage targets cities and civilians

On Monday morning, Ukraine came under heavy artillery fire from Russia. From the early morning hours, Russian missiles attacked at least ten regions of the country. The heaviest strikes occurred in the Lviv province, Lutsk, and Kyiv, where people hid in the subway. A recording from a crowded "shelter" surfaced online. "Pray for us," appealed Ukrainian parliament member Kira Rudyk.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that eleven Tu-95 strategic bombers took off from Russian airfields and launched missiles toward Ukrainian cities. An air raid alert was declared nationwide, and authorities urged residents to take shelter in safe places.

Information channels on Telegram tracking the movements of Russian bombers reported that the planes took off from three different airfields in Russia: Engels in the Saratov region, Olenya on the Kola Peninsula, and Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region.

The bombers then headed towards the Caspian Sea, from where they began their attack on Ukraine. Additionally, six Tu-22 bombers launched more cruise missiles aimed at destroying strategic targets in various parts of the country.

The night preceding these events was also not calm. The Ukrainian Air Force reported several times about groups of Shahed drones heading toward Ukraine. Kyiv's air defense managed to shoot down a dozen drones over the capital's suburbs, likely preventing more severe damage to the city.

A perilous situation occurred in Lutsk, where a Russian attack caused damage to residential buildings. The Mayor of Lutsk, Ihor Polishchuk, reported that one person died as a result of the attack, and rescue services were working on the scene.

In the Poltava province, which was also affected by the attack, missiles hit an industrial facility, injuring at least five people. Explosions were also heard in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and the Lviv province neighboring Poland.

Kyiv found itself in a particularly difficult situation. The city declared the highest level of threat.

Due to the massive attacks on Ukraine, Anton Gerashchenko, a former advisor at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, posted a touching video on his social media. It shows crowds of people hiding in the Kyiv subway.

Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities were attacked by ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. Very loud explosions were heard. One person killed in Lutsk, at least one killed in Dnipropetrovsk region. Power outages in different areas- he wrote in the description of the video.

Just before 9 am ET, Kira Rudyk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, also posted an emotional message.

Still sheltering. No electricity. No water - reads Rudik's post.

This post was immediately flooded with comments from internet users expressing their unity, solidarity, and support for Ukraine during these difficult times.