The Japan Times - Ukraine hit by new Russian missile barrage

On Thursday morning, blasts were reported across the vast country including in the Ukrainian capital, the second city Kharkiv in the east and the western city of Lviv on the border with Poland.

Most of Lviv, where Russian strikes are still rare, was left without electricity, its mayor Andriy Sadoviy said.

"The enemy is attacking Ukraine from various directions with air and sea-based cruise missiles from strategic aircraft and ships," Ukraine's air force said on social media.

Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said that more than 120 missiles had been fired by the 'evil Russian world' to destroy critical infrastructure and kill civilians en masse."

"We're waiting for further proposals from 'peacekeepers', he wrote ironically on Twitter.

The attacks came 10 months into Moscow's offensive in Ukraine where Russian strikes have been battering the country's energy grid, leaving millions in the cold and dark in the middle of winter.

- Three people wounded in Kyiv -

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said that at least three people were in wounded in the strikes, including a 14-year-old girl.

He warned of potential power cuts and called on residents to stock up on water.

Two private houses were hit by fragments of downed missiles in the east of the capital while an industrial enterprise and a playground were damaged in the city's southwest, local officials said.

In the east, a "series of explosions" hit Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, mayor Igor Terekhov said.

Governor Oleg Synegubov said "critical infrastructure" was targeted in the region of Kharkiv and its main city where four missiles hit eastern and southern neighbourhoods.

In the historic city of Lviv, mayor Sadoviy warned of potential water cuts.

Lviv governor Maksim Kozytski said that air defence was at work and called on residents to stay in shelters.

In the south, Odessa governor Maksym Marchenko said air defence shot down 21 missiles over the region.

"Fragments of one of the enemy missiles fell onto a residential building, fortunately there were no casualties," he said.

He added that there was damage to energy infrastructure and emergency power cuts were enforced in the region.

Moscow has said the strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure are a response to an explosion on the Kerch bridge connecting the Russian mainland to the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

The Kremlin has said it holds Kyiv ultimately responsible for the humanitarian impact of the strikes for refusing to capitulate to Russian negotiation terms.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was convinced that Moscow would achieve its goals in Ukraine sooner or later thanks to its "patience" and "perseverance".

"We are in no hurry," he said.

He reiterated Moscow's stance that for talks to resume Kyiv should recognise the annexation by Russia of four Ukrainian regions.

"Our absolute priority is four new Russian regions," Lavrov said.

Western intelligence and military sources have said that Russia is struggling to meet the ordnance needs for the invasion, but Moscow has pushed back.

"We will never run out of Kalibrs," the Russian defence ministry said on messaging app Telegram, referring to the cruise missiles used to batter Ukraine

M.Saito--JT