Ukrainian cities shelled in retaliation for Crimea bridge blast | USA TODAY

Civilians are among the casualties after Russian attacks strike multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.

RELATEDCrimea bridge damaged in explosion, cutting off Russia's supply route

Missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the center of Kyiv during rush hour just two days after a major bridge linking occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland was damaged in an apparent truck bomb attack. President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukrainian special forces for what he described as a "terrorist attack." Among other major cities battered by missile strikes were Dnipro in the center of the country, Lyiv in the west, Kharkiv in the east and Zaporizhizia in the south.

Ukraine's army chief said Russia launched 75 missiles, mostly from drones, and that 41 of them were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. Critical infrastructure, mostly energy supply, were hit in eight regions and Kyiv, where more than 30 fires broke out, the State Emergency Service reported.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday in a social media post that Russia is "trying to destroy us and wipe us off the face of the Earth."

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