US Condemns Russia's War Crimes After Kamikaze Drone Attack In Kyiv Kills Four

Referring to the $725 million military aid package announced for Ukraine last Friday, Jean-Pierre said, “We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes

New Delhi: The United States reiterated that Russia would be held accountable for "war crimes" after Moscow carried out drone attacks on several Ukrainian cities on Monday. At least 4 people were killed in an apartment building in Kyiv during the attack. While speaking to the media, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said "White House strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today". Pierre further said the attack "continues to demonstrate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutality", reported news agency Reuters.

Referring to the $725 million military aid package announced for Ukraine last Friday, Jean-Pierre said, “We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his Monday evening address said there had been more attacks. "Right now, there is a new Russian drone attack. There are (drones) that have been shot down," said Zelenskyy. There were blasts reported in the town of Fastiv just outside Kyiv, as well as in the southern port of Odesa, Reuters reported, citing Interfax Ukraine news agency.

In the second wave of air strikes in a week, Russian forces targeted energy facilities and one drone largely collapsed a residential building.

“The whole night, and the whole morning, the enemy terrorizes the civilian population,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post. “Kamikaze drones and missiles are attacking all of Ukraine.” “The enemy can attack our cities, but it won’t be able to break us,” he wrote, according to the news agency AP.

Ukrainian soldiers retaliated by firing into the air trying to shoot down the drones after blasts rocked the capital Kyiv on Monday morning.  Missiles were mostly used in most of the previous Russian airstrikes in Kyiv. Analysts believe the slower-moving Shahed drones can be programmed to hit targets using GPS unless the system fails.

In a separate incident, a Russian military jet on Monday crashed into a residential building shortly after taking off near the border with Ukraine, sparking a major fire that has reportedly left at least 13 people dead, reported The Guardian citing Russian news agency Interfax source.

Video and photographs on social media showed a residential building engulfed in flames in Yeysk, a port and resort town in Russia located just south of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol across the Sea of Azov, according to the report.