Biden condemns Putin's 'brutality,' pledges support for Ukraine after Russia unleashes deadly retaliation strikes: Live updates

Kyiv was struck by multiple missiles for the first time in months Monday, and several other Ukrainian cities took severe blows in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called retaliation for a weekend explosion on a major Russian-built bridge.

At least 14 civilians were killed and nearly 100 were wounded, Ukraine Emergency Service reported. Homes, businesses, roads and vehicles were left in ruins and much of the country was deprived of power just two days after a major bridge linking occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland was damaged by an apparent truck bomb. Putin blamed Ukrainian special forces for that blast.

"If attempts continue to carry out terror attacks on our territory, Russia’s responses will be tough," Putin said at a meeting with members of Russia’s Security Council. "No one must have any doubts about that."

Putin said his Defense Ministry used long-range air, sea and ground-based precision weapons to strike Ukrainian energy, military command and communications facilities. However, civilian areas like a playground and a university were also hit.

President Joe Biden, who spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, issued a statement pledging support for Ukraine. He condemned the strikes that "killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose" and demonstrate the "utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war" on Ukraine.

Biden and Zelenskyy said they discussed the need for improved air defense, and the Ukrainian leader later called that "the number 1 priority.''

Missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the center of Kyiv during morning rush hour. Among other major cities battered by the strikes in at least 14 regions were Dnipro in the center of the country, Lyiv in the west, Kharkiv in the northeast and Zaporizhizia in the south.

Ukraine's military said Russia launched 84 missiles, mostly from drones, and 56 of them were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. Critical infrastructure, mostly energy supply, was hit in eight regions, and more than 30 fires broke out in Kyiv alone, authorities said.

"The world once again saw the true face of a terrorist state that is killing our people,"  Zelenskyy said in a social media post. "On the battlefield & in peaceful cities. A country that covers its true bloody essence & goal with talks about peace."

Other developments:

►The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks were successful: "The purpose of the strike was achieved. All designated objects were hit."

►Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said power was being shut off to some areas of the capital to repair damage to critical infrastructure. Power and water supplies were damaged in the attack, he said.

►Residents of several European countries, including Germany, Poland, Italy, Austria, Romania and Georgia, protested Monday's missile attacks outside Russian embassies.

►In an emergency meeting Monday, the U.N. General Assembly debated how to respond to Russia's claim of annexing four Ukrainian provinces after sham elections. A vote is expected later in the week on a proposal to condemn the “referendums” and claimed annexations as illegal.

►Despite being under pressure from Ukrainian forces in the northeast and south, the Russians are focused on taking over the Donetsk province of the Donbas region, making a strong push toward the town of Bakhmut, the British Defense Ministry said.

Lindsey Graham: Putin’s missile attacks the 'act of a very desperate man'

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Monday that Vladimir Putin's missile attacks are the “act of a very desperate man” and the Russian president is “piling on” war crimes in Ukraine.

“His military is melting away before our eyes,” Graham said in an interview with USA TODAY. “So he’s desperate. He’s upping the ante here by attacking civilian targets.”

The Ukrainians are mounting a strong response, Graham said, but they need more air defense capability, longer-range artillery and additional tanks.

“And the threats of nuclear retaliation by Putin have to be met or resolved. He's trying to use nuclear weapon blackmail, and we can't get into that because that’ll become the standard in the future,” Graham added. “And the most dangerous thing we could do is be intimidated by him and give up the fight.”

President Joe Biden warned last week of the prospect of Armageddon if Putin deploys tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The comment went too far for Graham.

“I don't know why he talked in those terms. That was a mistake,” Graham said. “But I'll say this: They've been slow – the Biden administration – in terms of sanctions and weapons, but we're in a pretty good spot right now.”

Graham, who serves on the Appropriations Committee and is the ranking member on the Budget Committee, said he intends to work with the administration when the Senate reconvenes after the midterm election to pass a robust military and economic package for Ukraine.

-- Francesca Chambers

Ukraine foreign minister says Putin is using Crimea bridge blast as an excuse

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the international media not to suggest that Putin was provoked into Monday's attacks by the Crimean bridge blast, saying that narrative "shifts the blame on the victim of the aggression." Kuleba says Russia was hammering Ukraine cities with missiles for months before Saturday's explosion on the Kerch bridge, and any expansion of those attacks is a reflection of Putin being "desperate" because of battlefield defeats."

"Putin ... uses missile terror to try to change the pace of war in his favor," Kuleba said. "He does not need anything to 'provoke' him in order to commit heinous crimes."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke with Kuleba, reiterating support for Ukraine following the Kremlin's "horrific" attack.

"We will continue to provide unwavering economic, humanitarian, and security assistance so Ukraine can defend itself and take care of its people," Blinken tweeted.

Pro-Kremlin pundits cheer deadly strikes

Russian military bloggers and political commentators rejoiced Monday at the news of missile attacks on several Ukraine regions that killed at least 14, though some of the pundits said the strikes should go further and damage energy infrastructure in the long term.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed leader of Chechnya who has advocated for more attacks on Ukraine, proclaimed himself “100 percent happy.”

War correspondent Andrei Kots of Komsomolskaya Pravda, the top Russian tabloid, pushed for “a new mode of action to the entire depth of the Ukrainian state until it loses its capacity to function.”

Pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov may have alluded to the real reason behind the strikes when he said, “The Russian public wants massive attacks.''

Europe pledges more support to Ukraine after latest strikes

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was "deeply shocked" by the Russian attacks.

"Such acts have no place in 21st century," Borrell said. "We stand with Ukraine. Additional military support from the EU is on its way."

British Prime Minister Liz Truss called the attacks a "clear sign of Putin's desperation." She said Ukraine is succeeding and that Britain will continue to provide military aid.

Germany plans to provide Ukraine with the first of four new air defense systems within days. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Monday's assault "makes it clear how important it is to deliver air defense systems to Ukraine quickly."

French President Emmanuel Macron told Zelenskyy in a phone conversation that France would increase its support for Ukraine "in response to the needs formulated by Kyiv, including those related to military equipment," European Pravda reported.

Red Cross pauses efforts in Ukraine

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it temporarily paused its work in Ukraine amid the most recent bombings but continues to provide services. The agency said it was committed to remaining in Ukraine and will continue its activities while adapting to the "deteriorating security situation" on the ground.

"Given the security situation in Ukraine today, our teams momentarily paused movements, sheltered and continued to work in place," the agency said. "Our full schedule of humanitarian assistance will resume immediately as the security situation allows."

The Red Cross has worked in Ukraine since 2014 and scaled up its response to meet the rising needs when the war began in February. The agency has about 700 staffers in 10 locations across Ukraine to deliver relief items to the displaced, provide medicines and supplies to health care facilities, restore water supply and other lifesaving activities.

EU foreign policy chief chides alliance for delaying Ukraine military training

Borrell is lamenting the EU's slow pace of action in setting up a military training mission for the Ukrainian armed forces. Foreign ministers are due to discuss the plan next week, almost eight months after the war started.

Borrell told EU ambassadors Monday that “we had been discussing about the Ukrainian training mission before the war. Before the war. For months.” He says that “then the war comes and people said, ‘Oh, we should have done it.' Yeah, we should have done it. And now we are doing it quickly."

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine war live updates: Russia unleashes deadly retaliation strikes