Massive Russian missile strikes hit Ukraine

By Stefan J. Bos

Russian rockets are apparently being shot down around Kyiv.

Ukraine's military claims its air defenses managed to shoot down 44 out of the 50 Russian cruise missiles. But it wasn't possible to verify these numbers independently.

And authorities admit that several missiles hit their targets, injuring more than a dozen people. Smoke rises above Kyiv as several explosions rock the city, reportedly leaving some 350,000 homes without power.

The capital's mayor Vitaliy Klitschko says eighty percent of Kyiv has been left without water supplies as Russian rockets damaged critical infrastructure early Monday.

Regional authorities in northern, eastern, and central Ukraine also report Russian missile strikes.

As winter approaches, Russia has been increasing its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

More power cuts

Officials say besides Kyiv, power cuts have also hit the north-eastern city of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

It comes after Russia accused Ukraine of a "massive" drone attack that damaged a warship of its Black Sea Fleet in the port city of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea. Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Following the alleged Ukrainian attack, Russia said it was pulling out of the internationally-brokered deal that allows Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports.

The move could impact millions of impoverished people as the region is a breadbasket of the world. However, Kyiv said a dozen ships carrying grain still managed to leave ports on Monday.

Amid the war and related sanctions against Russia, Norway has become the biggest exporter of natural gas to the European Union, accounting for about a quarter of the bloc's imports.

The Scandinavian country said it would tighten its security from November 1 amid concerns about possible Russian sabotage.

Following a Nord Stream pipeline leak, Norway already deployed troops to guard offshore platforms and onshore facilities.