Russian strikes on Kyiv kill 2, wound dozens, officials say

Russian strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least two people and wounded dozens more, Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday, after fresh overnight missile and drone attacks.

AFP journalists heard explosions in Kyiv after midnight, after Ukraine's air force warned of incoming ballistic missiles.

Kyiv's military administration said the barrage damaged residential buildings and several warehouses and sparked fires in four districts of the capital. It said one woman was killed and at least seven other people were wounded in the city.

Regional authorities said another person was killed in Bucha district west of Kyiv and 21 people were wounded in areas around the capital.

The strikes followed other recent overnight attacks on Kyiv. Russian attacks on Kyiv and its suburbs on Saturday killed 10 people and wounded more than 30, while Ukrainian drones sank a Russian container ship in the Black Sea.

Both sides have increased long-range attacks in recent weeks. An AFP analysis found Russia more than doubled its use of missiles in July. Moscow's mayor said Wednesday that Russian air defences had intercepted and destroyed at least 10 drones heading toward the Russian capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged allies to supply more US-made Patriot interceptors, saying a lack of ballistic missile defences encourages Russia to launch attacks that take lives.