Russian missile and drone barrages rocked parts of Ukraine overnight, killing 18 people and wounding dozens, Ukrainian authorities reported early Tuesday as emergency services began to assess the damage from the Russian strikes across the country.
In Kyiv, multiple explosions were heard, setting off fires in various areas of the city. By late Tuesday morning the death toll has risen to at least six people and 66 injured.
"Three people have now been confirmed killed in Kyiv," Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's city military administration, posted on Telegram. Russia carried out Tuesday's attacks using ballistic missiles, according to Tkachenko.
Local media reported residents rushed to shelters clutching bags and blankets as a large plume of smoke emanated from the city centre.
Earlier, the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, warned, "Explosions in the city!" Air defence forces are working! Stay in shelters! "Power was knocked out in several districts of the Ukrainian capital," Klitschko said.
Just as strikes on Kyiv were taking place, a Russian attack in the city of Dnipro left four people dead, by late Tuesday morning the death toll had risen to at least 12 people dead and 37 injured.
"This enemy attack has claimed the lives of 4 people," including a 73-year-old woman, local governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. "The number of the wounded in the Russian overnight strike on Dnipro has risen to 16," Hanzha said on Telegram.
Later on Tuesday Hanzha wrote that twenty-two of the injured remain in hospital.
"They have shrapnel wounds, fractures, lacerations and cuts, as well as blast injuries and acoustic trauma," Hanzha said.
In the city of Kharkiv, eight people were wounded in the Slobidsky district, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Attack comes after Zelenskyy's warning
The latest attacks come days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was preparing a "massive new strike" on the country.
"We have intelligence information about Russia preparing a new massive strike," Zelenskyy said on Friday, calling for people to "protect your lives".
"Please pay attention to air alerts and protect your lives. Our services are working efficiently and are prepared; the Air Force and other defenders of our skies will be on duty 24/7, as always."
Zelenskyy has reiterated his call to allies to allow and finance the supply of Patriot missiles, which can intercept Russian ballistic missiles.
Last week, he wrote to US President Donald Trump and the US Congress, asking for Patriot systems to respond to the intensifying Russian air attacks even as US-mediated efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict have stalled since the outbreak of war in the Middle East, where Washington's attention and resources are currently focused on.
Meanwhile, in retaliation for the daily Russian bombardments, Ukraine has also stepped up its strikes on occupied territories and on Russia.
A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia's Kursk, near the Ukrainian border, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said.
