Explosions heard in Kyiv

Explosions were heard in Kyiv early on Monday morning, days after Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet.

According to CNN, it comes after a week of power outages in the capital and other parts of Ukraine caused by Russian attacks on the country's power infrastructure.

Air raid sirens also sounded across the city, the Kyiv Regional State Administration said on Telegram. Air defense systems were working and people have been asked to stay indoors in shelters and other safe places, the administration added.

Russian missiles struck key infrastructure facilities in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and the central region of Cherkasy, Ukrainian officials said Monday.

Kharkiv's Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram that two missiles hit a critical infrastructure facility in the city.

Parts of the Cherkasy region have lost power after a critical infrastructure facility was hit, regional military administration head Ihor Taburets said.

Parts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv are without electricity and water after critical infrastructure facilities were hit, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

Power outages caused by Russian attacks continued in Kyiv over the weekend. Klitschko said earlier it will take weeks to repair electrical systems.

Ukrainian officials believe Russia's countrywide drone and cruise missile attacks are being carefully orchestrated to target important infrastructure as Ukraine heads into winter, reported CNN.

By hitting thermal power stations, electricity sub-stations, transformers and pipelines, Russian forces have been directly impacting Ukrainians' ability to access power, water and the internet.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian forces repelled "fierce Russian assault" in Donetsk, reported CNN.

Ukrainian forces fought off a "fierce assault" by Russian troops in the eastern city of Donetsk on Sunday, ZelenskyY said in his daily televised briefing.

"Today, they stopped a fierce assault by the enemy," Zelenskyy said. "The Russian attack was repelled."

Russia suspended its participation in a UN-brokered grain deal viewed as key to addressing the global food shortage, according to the country's defence ministry.

Moscow announced it was leaving the deal after blaming Ukraine for a drone attack on Crimea Saturday. Kyiv accused Russia of inventing "fictitious terrorist attacks" and using the deal as "blackmail."

By Sunday, more than 200 vessels had been blocked from making shipments, Ukraine said. A growing number of Kyiv's allies condemned Moscow's move.