Ukraine war: Russia fires dozens of missiles at Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv in massive bombardment

Photo:Rescue teams examine a damaged home in the Kyiv region.

Cities across Ukraine have been targeted by a wave of Russian missile strikes, in one of the largest bombardments since the war began.

BBC.com reports that at least three people – including a 14-year-old girl – were taken to hospital after explosions hit the capital Kyiv, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.

Blasts were also heard in the cities of Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv and Zhytomyr.

Ukraine’s military said 69 missiles were launched, with air defences intercepting 54 of them.

Earlier, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said more than 120 missiles had been launched at civilian infrastructure.

The air raid lasted for close to five hours and the regional leader of the southern province of Odesa, Maksym Marchenko, spoke of a “massive missile attack on Ukraine”.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia attacked the country from “various directions with air and sea-based cruise missiles”. It added that a number of Kamikaze drones had also been used.

As air raid alerts sounded in all regions of the country, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych urged civilians to seek shelter and said the country’s air defences were operating.

In Kyiv, two homes were damaged by debris from intercepted missiles, according to the city military administration. Mr Klitschko said 16 missiles were destroyed over the city by air defences.