Several missile strikes rocked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities of Lviv, Ternopil, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro on Monday morning, reported Reuters. At least 11 persons died and 64 were injured in the missile strikes in Kyiv which came months after Russia began its invasion in February, reported The Associated Press.

The attacks come days after an explosion on Kerch bridge, one of the key bridges linking Russia and Crimea took place on Saturday.

Kerch bridge is described as Putin’s prestige project that provides strategic logistical support to Russian military and its supply chains for the invasion and the defence of Crimea, reported The Guardian. Soon after the explosion on Kerch bridge, Putin appointed General Sergey Surovikin to lead the war in Ukraine on Saturday. Surovikin’s appointment is the first of an overall battlefield commander for Russian troops in Ukraine.

“There is no doubt, this is an act of terrorism aimed at destroying critically important civilian infrastructure,” Putin had said on Sunday while accusing Ukraine for the attack, reported Al Jazeera.

Unlike earlier attacks on Kyiv, Monday’s missile strikes hit the central locations of the Ukrainian capital, reported The Guardian.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the latest attacks show that the country is dealing with “terrorists.”

“They have two targets. Energy facilities – throughout the country, Kyiv, Khmelnytsky , Lviv and Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Frankiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zhytormyr, Kirovohrad, the south. They want panic and chaos, they want to destroy our energy system,” Zelensky said in a video statement shared on Facebook.

“The second target is people. Such a time and such targets were specially chosen to cause as much damage as possible. Stay in shelters today. Always follow the safety rules. And always remember: Ukraine was here before this enemy appeared, Ukraine will be here after him.”

Russia had launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24. The Kremlin described its actions as a “special operation” to demilitarise and “de-Nazify” Ukraine. However, Kyiv and several Western nations have said that this is a baseless pretext for a war of choice by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

India says ‘deeply concerned’

India on Monday said it was deeply concerned about the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the targeting of infrastructure and deaths of civilians.

“We reiterate escalation of hostilities is in no one’s interest,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a release. “We urge immediate cessation of hostilities and urgent return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue.”

The Indian Embassy in Kyiv advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine.

It also urged Indian nationals to strictly follow the safety and security guidelines issued by the local authorities.

“Indian nationals are requested to keep the embassy informed about the status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the embassy to reach out to them, where required,” it added.