Explosions rock Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities as Russia fires more than 100s of missiles

KYIV: Russia fired more than 100 missiles into Ukraine on Thursday morning, targetting the capital Kyiv where three people were wounded, the northeastern city of Kharkiv, and other cities in a large-scale aerial bombardment, Ukrainian authorities said. Ukraine's Air Force said the attacks had involved sea- and air-based cruise missiles fired "from different directions" and followed an overnight assault by 'kamikaze' drones. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak put the number of missiles fired at more than 120. Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine.

The latest blitz came hard on the heels of the Kremlin's rejection of a Ukrainian peace plan, insisting that Kyiv must accept Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

"Two private houses in Darnytskyi district were damaged by the fragments of downed missiles," the Kyiv city military administration said on Telegram.

It said a business and a playground were also damaged and the situation of the victims "is being clarified". The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said 16 missiles were shot down over the capital.

Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said officials were clarifying what had been hit and whether there were any casualties after the Russian missiles caused a series of explosions.

The mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, said on Telegram that 90% of his city in western Ukraine was without electricity and that electric-powered public transport was not running.

Explosions were also heard in Zhytomyr and Odesa, according to a Reuters correspondent and local media reports.

Air defence units shot down 21 missiles in the Odesa region in southwest Ukraine, its governor Maksym Marcheno said. The fragments of one missile hit a residential building, though no casualties were reported, he added.

Power cuts were announced in Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions to minimise potential damage to energy infrastructure.

Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, but Ukraine says its daily bombardment is destroying cities, towns, and the country's power, medical and other infrastructure.