麻豆社

Russia has been bombarding cities across Ukraine, including launching missile strikes on the centre of Kyiv for the first time.

The deadly barrage included strikes on the cities of Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia. They 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.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been clear about what prompted the missile attacks: retaliation for Saturday's bombing of the Kerch bridge linking occupied Crimea with Russia.聽

But is that it?聽Could it presage a new, perhaps harder-line Russian military strategy, under a new overall army commander?聽

Dr Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow in the military sciences section of the Royal United Services Institute, discusses what Russia may be wanting to achieve.

He tells Newshour that in punishing civilian populations Putin may be trying to "sober an opponent in the face of conventional set backs... but if anything this approach tends to stiffen morale."

(Photo: A medical worker walks near a burned car after Russian military strike, in central Kyiv, Ukraine October 10, 2022. Credit: Reuters)

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