Russia pounds Ukraine with new missile strikes as it shrugs off oil price cap

Two people reported dead in Zaporizhzhia and water supply cut off in Odesa

People take shelter in a Kyiv metro station as Russia launches fresh strikes on its neighbour. Getty

Ukraine on Monday reported a fresh barrage of Russian missile strikes as the Kremlin shrugged off an oil price cap meant to weaken its war effort.

Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv and other cities as Ukraine reported long-range attacks from warships, strategic bombers and the Russian mainland.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said two people were killed in missile strikes that destroyed houses in Zaporizhzhia.

In Odesa, the local water company said supplies were cut off to the whole city after another missile cut power to pumping stations.

Air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said the Russians could attack in several waves to thwart Ukrainian defences.

“Russia continues to do what it began doing on October 10, above all targeting objects of critical infrastructure,” Mr Ihnat said.

Moscow said it had destroyed a Ukrainian munitions depot, a helicopter, 10 drones and an air defence system.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov meanwhile said the Russian war effort would continue despite the oil price cap.

“Russia's economy has all the necessary potential to fully meet the needs and requirements of the special military operation,” Mr Peskov said.

“These measures will not affect this.”

The cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil, which came into force on Monday, is meant to slow one of the Kremlin's main sources of revenue.

The G7 countries, the European Union and Australia hope to enforce it by denying insurance to oil tankers if their cargo flouts the cap.

The price ceiling applies to crude oil from Monday and is expected to extend to refined products, such as diesel, in February.

It means third countries such as India can keep buying Russian oil, but preferably at a lower price than before.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar made no commitment to the price cap on Monday and signalled India would keep buying Russian oil.

“The oil imported in the European Union [from Russia] is six times what India has imported,” he said. “Gas is infinity times because we don’t import.”

Ukraine conflict — in pictures

The price cap is separate from an EU ban on Russian oil shipments that also took effect on Monday, with several carve-outs negotiated by Hungary and other landlocked countries.

Russian media meanwhile reported explosions at two airbases in mainland Russia, including one that houses nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

News agency Ria Novosti said three servicemen were killed and six others injured, and a plane was damaged, after a fuel lorry exploded in Ryazan.

Officials separately said they were examining reports of an explosion in the area of the Engels airbase, home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers.

Local media reported sounds of a powerful explosion near the Engels base, and some residents were quoted as saying they saw a flash of light coming from the area.

Mr Zelenskyy’s aide Mykhailo Podolyak issued a cryptic statement on the Engels incident, stopping short of claiming responsibility.

“If something is launched into other countries’ airspace, sooner or later unknown flying objects will return to departure point,” he said.