US warns Russia of "war crimes" after Kamikaze drone attack on Kyiv
Oct 18, 2022
Washington [US], October 18 : Following Russia's attack on Ukranian capital with Iranian-made Kamikaze drones, Washington said that it will hold Moscow accountable for "war crimes" and will continue to impose costs on Russia for its aggression.
US President Joe Biden's press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, told reporters "The White House "strongly condemns Russia's missile strikes today," Al Jazeera reported quoting US President Joe Biden's press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre as saying.
Jean-Pierre further noted that the US will continue to aid the people of Ukraine as she referred to a new USD 725m military aid package announced for Ukraine last Friday.
"More desperate and reprehensible Russian attacks this morning against civilians and civilian infrastructure. We admire the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people. We will stand with you for as long as it takes," the US embassy in Ukraine tweeted.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his regular address said the air raids were continuing in the country.
"Right now, there is a new Russian drone attack," he said. "There are [drones] that have been shot down," Al Jazeera reported.
Kyiv says Moscow has used Iranian-supplied drones in the strikes against major Ukrainian cities in recent weeks and pleaded with Western countries to step up their assistance in the face of the new challenge, CNN reported.
On Monday, at least three explosions were heard in Kyiv at around 6.45 am (local time).
One of the blasts was in the Shevchenkivskyi district in the centre of the Ukrainian capital. In order to tackle the situation, emergency services have been sent on-site.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has only escalated after a truck recently exploded on the Crimea road bridge, causing seven fuel tanks of a train heading to the Crimean Peninsula to catch fire. Three people were killed in the blast, which also led to the partial collapse of two spans of the road bridge.
The Crimean Bridge was opened in 2018 by Russian President Vladimir Putin, four years after Moscow annexed Crimea, and was designed to link the peninsula to Russia's transport network.
The 19-kilometre bridge, which runs across the Kerch Strait and connects Crimea with mainland Russia, consists of a railway and vehicle sections. It became fully operational in 2020.
