Footage emerges of powerful strike on Kyiv - VIDEO

Russia has launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine using ballistic missiles and drones, with explosions reported in Kyiv and Dnipro, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukraine’s Air Force issued alerts early on February 12, warning that ballistic missiles were approaching Kyiv from northern or eastern directions. Air raid sirens were activated across the capital shortly after the warnings were issued, News.Az reports, citing Vitalii Klitschko.

Residents in several Kyiv districts reported hearing multiple loud explosions around 2:20 a.m. local time. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strikes targeted infrastructure and urged residents to remain in shelters.

Explosions were also reported in the city of Dnipro. Regional authorities confirmed an attack had been recorded and said emergency teams were assessing possible damage and casualties. Officials warned that the threat could continue and urged residents to remain in safe locations until further notice.

Earlier the same night, Russian forces reportedly carried out a large drone attack on Odesa and nearby areas, damaging infrastructure and a business center.

Military analysts say ballistic missiles remain particularly dangerous due to their high speed and steep flight trajectory, making them difficult to intercept. Air defense systems such as Patriot and SAMP/T are considered among the few capable of countering such threats over populated areas.

The attacks come amid continued strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials say recent attacks have taken up to 10 gigawatts of power generation capacity offline, with some facilities unlikely to be fully restored before the next winter heating season.

News.Az