Ukraine reports new wave of Russian strikes across country

Russia on Monday unleashed what Ukraine called a 'massive missile attack' across the country, striking homes and buildings, killing civilians and disrupting electrical power that caused blackouts and cut water supplies for the Black Sea port of Odessa.

Russia on Monday unleashed what Ukraine called a "massive missile attack" across the country, striking homes and buildings, killing civilians and disrupting electrical power that caused blackouts and cut water supplies for the Black Sea port of Odessa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, drove a truck across a bridge linking his country to the Crimean Peninsula following its repair from a bombing in October that had embarrassed Moscow.

The missile barrage, which Ukrainian authorities have been anticipating for days, was the latest round of punishment by Russia as it sought to disable Ukraine's energy supplies and infrastructure as winter approaches -- part of a new strategy in its nine-month war.

The country's electricity provider, Ukrenergo, lashed out at Russia over "the eighth massive missile attack by a terrorist country," saying its facilities had been hit, triggering blackouts. It urged residents to stay in shelters as its crews tried to repair the damage.

In the capital of Kyiv, scores of people quickly congregated in the central Zoloti Vorota metro station after the warnings, and many checked their phones for updates. There were no immediate signs whether the city or the surrounding region was hit.

Air raid sirens sounded across the country. Ukrainian media reported explosions in several parts of the country south of Kyiv, including Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih and Odessa, where the water company said power was out to pumping stations, leaving the city without water.

"The enemy is again attacking the territory of Ukraine with missiles!" Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, wrote on Telegram.