Ukraine war: US condemns 'brutal' Russian strikes on Ukraine
Russia has been widely condemned after bombarding cities across Ukraine, including launching missile strikes on the centre of Kyiv for the first time, BBC reported.
The US said the "brutal" attacks had hit non-military targets, including a university and children's playground, and promised ongoing military aid.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply shocked".
Vladimir Putin said the attacks were retaliation for Saturday's explosion on a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea.
Ukraine says 83 missiles were launched of which more than 43 were shot down.
In a defiant video, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that "Ukraine cannot be intimidated. It can only be more united."
The deadly barrage included strikes on the cities of Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, and were some of the worst Ukraine has seen for months.
At least 14 people were killed and scores more were injured, officials said.
Several regions were left without electricity and water after missiles hit energy infrastructure.
Residents in the capital Kyiv said Russia appeared to be targeting civilian areas which were busy with Monday morning commuters, including the children's playground, university and the popular Taras Shevchenko park.
Antonio Guterres described the strikes as "another unacceptable escalation of the war" for which civilians were paying the highest price.
The EU said a war crime had been committed, while European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Russia stood for terror and brutality, according to BBC.
Mr Biden said the attacks demonstrated "the utter brutality" of Putin's "illegal war".
China and India, which have not condemned the war, called for a de-escalation.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN, said his family had been in a residential area in Ukraine when it was attacked by the latest Russian missiles and they were unable to go to a bomb shelter.
He said Russia had already killed some of his relatives, calling it "a terrorist state" that must be deterred in the strongest possible ways to prevent further atrocities. He added that Russia's delegation to the UN left "a trail of blood" whenever it entered the General Assembly hall.
The General Assembly is holding an emergency meeting following Russia's latest attacks. Although the session was convened because of the Kremlin's annexation of four partly-occupied Ukrainian regions following sham referendums, it has been overshadowed by this morning's attacks, BBC reported.
President tests positive for COVID-19
President Bidya Devi Bhandari has been infected with SARS--CoV 2 virus. The Head-of-the-State was hospitalized on September 8 after she complained of fever and flu-like symptoms. She is receiving the treatment at the Annex ward bed number 601 of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Her PCR test came positive to COVID-19, said hospital information officer Ram Bikram Adhikari. The health condition of the President is improving as per the expectation. If the recovery follows the current trend, she will be perhaps discharged by tomorrow. A medical squad led by Dr Niraj Bam is involved in her treatment.
Mulayam Singh Yadav Passes Away: PM Modi, Amit Shah pay tribute to SP founder; last rites in Saifai tomorrow
Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away while undergoing at Medanta hospital in Gurugram on Monday. He was 82, The Indian Express reported. The SP patriarch’s condition had been “quite critical” for the past few weeks and he was on life-saving drugs. Party chief and Yadav’s son Akhilesh confirmed the news of the leader’s death on Twitter. “Mere adarniya pitaji aur sabke netaji nahi rahe – Akhilesh Yadav,” he tweeted from the party’s official handle. Soon after learning about the demise of the SP founder, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recollected his relationship with the veteran leader and tweeted: “Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji was a remarkable personality. He was widely admired as a humble and grounded leader who was sensitive to people’s problems. He served people diligently and devoted his life towards popularising the ideals of Loknayak JP and Dr. Lohia.” Yadav will be cremated in Saifai, his native village in Etawah district, on Tuesday around 3 pm, party has said, according to The Indian Express. “The body of netaji is being taken to Saifai. On Oct 11, he will be cremated at around 3 pm,” Samajwadi Party said. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will go to Saifai, today to attend the last rites.
Several loud explosions heard in Ukrainian capital Kyiv
Several large explosions have been heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv a day after President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for a deadly explosion on a key bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to mainland Russia, Aljazeera reported. “Several explosions in the Shevchenkivskyi district, in the city centre,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram on Monday. “Details will follow,” he said. The explosions took place around 0815 local time (0515 GMT), with air raid sirens sounding in the Ukrainian capital more than an hour before the blasts. Ukrainian forces retook large areas around Kyiv in early April after Russia abandoned its push towards the capital. The Russian president has come under increasing pressure after suffering a series of military setbacks in recent weeks. He continued reshuffling his military leadership, appointing a new general to lead the war.
