Russia hits Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro in one of deadliest attacks on Ukraine

Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at cities overnight on Thursday across Ukraine including the capital Kyiv, killing at least 16 people and injuring scores, authorities said.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 659 drones and 44 missiles, of which it shot down or neutralised 636 drones and 31 missiles.

Four people were killed in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, and at least 50 others were injured, according to local authorities.

The attack caused damage in several locations in the Ukrainian capital, including residential buildings, a hotel, and an office building, Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram. Several fires broke out as a result of fallen rocket debris.

Russia’s attacks carried on into the early hours of Thursday, Klitschko added, reporting that a low-flying drone crashed into an 18-storey building.

Several explosions were also reported in the southern port city of Odesa, where nine people were killed and at least 11 injured.

Russia struck a high-rise residential building, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine wrote on Telegram.

"As a result of the hit, a fire broke out, significant damage was recorded, and some of the apartments were completely destroyed," the statement read.

Several other residential buildings, port infrastructure and warehouses were also damaged as a result of the attack.

Dnipro also came under heavy fire, marking the second time the city was targeted this week, according to local media. At least two people were killed, and dozens were injured in attacks that set buildings ablaze in several residential neighbourhoods.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the deadly attack on civilian targets showed that "there can be no normalisation of Russia as it is today."

"Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions," he said in a post on X.

"Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that: we must defend lives with all available means, and we must also apply pressure for the sake of peace with the same full force," Zelenskyy added.

At least 100 people were wounded in the strikes, according to the Ukrainian president, citing officials.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing, and the death toll was expected to rise, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said.

The latest attack comes as Zelenskyy visited Germany, Norway and Italy in an effort to source more defence systems, as Russia's all-out war continues into its fifth year.

Zelenskyy thanked the three countries for the new agreements reached and noted that officials are also working with the Netherlands to secure additional supplies.

The Ukrainian leader, however, criticised some allies for failing to follow through on their pledges of military support and reiterated the need to increase pressure on Russia.

"Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. "Pressure on Russia must work. And it is important to fulfill every promise of assistance to Ukraine on time".

"There are many political commitments by partners that have already been announced but not yet implemented," he concluded.