At least nine people were killed and more than 60 others injured after Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack across several Ukrainian cities early on Tuesday. The strikes hit major urban centres including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv. The attack came after repeated warnings from Ukrainian officials that Moscow was preparing a major assault.

Russia has continued targeting Ukraine’s energy facilities and infrastructure during the war. At the same time, Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian oil facilities this year. These strikes have occasionally caused casualties on both sides. However, both countries deny deliberately targeting civilians.

The southeastern city of Dnipro was among the worst-hit areas. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said that five people were killed and 25 others were injured in the missile and drone strikes. He added that all those injured were being treated in hospitals and were in moderate condition.

Images shared by local authorities showed extensive damage across the city. Residential buildings were destroyed, several vehicles were burned, and a children’s playground was damaged in the attack.

In the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, authorities reported at least four deaths and 51 injuries, including children. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said emergency services were responding to multiple strike locations across the city.

According to Klitschko, a suspected missile strike hit a 24-storey residential building, causing part of the structure to collapse. Rescue teams feared that people could still be trapped beneath the debris.

Another apartment building, nine storeys high, caught fire after being struck by suspected missile fragments. Several other locations across the city also suffered damage from falling debris.

“In the Obolon district, cars are burning after being struck by falling missile debris,” Klitschko said. “There are also fires at two locations in open areas, including one near a kindergarten.”

As air raid sirens sounded across Kyiv, thousands of residents rushed to underground metro stations for safety. Witnesses said many people arrived carrying personal belongings, blankets and mattresses. Throughout the night, the sounds of Ukrainian air defence systems could be heard as they attempted to intercept incoming missiles and drones.

Air raid alerts were issued across large parts of Ukraine during the early hours of Tuesday. The attacks followed fresh warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who had cautioned the public about a possible large-scale Russian operation.

“Intelligence warnings regarding Russian strikes remain in effect. A massive strike is possible. They have prepared one,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

“Our defenders are ready 24/7 to the fullest extent possible with the supplies currently available.”

Russia had also signalled its intentions in recent days. Last week, Moscow announced that it planned to carry out “systematic strikes” on targets in Kyiv linked to the Ukrainian military as well as government decision-making centres. Russian authorities also advised foreign nationals to leave the Ukrainian capital.

Russian officials said the planned action was a response to a drone attack on a dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine last month. Moscow claimed that 21 people were killed in that strike. Ukraine denied responsibility for the attack.

In northeastern Ukraine, the city of Kharkiv also came under attack. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said drone and missile strikes injured ten people, including a child. Emergency services were deployed to affected areas to assess damage and assist victims.

Meanwhile, Russia reported attacks on its own territory. Authorities in the southern Krasnodar region said that the Ilsky oil refinery caught fire after being targeted in a drone strike. Details regarding casualties or the extent of the damage were not immediately available.

Officials in Sevastopol, the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, also reported drone activity overnight. Local authorities said air defence systems were actively working to repel the attack. Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 but remains internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.

Reuters stated that it could not independently verify all the claims made by either side regarding the attacks and their consequences.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Despite several diplomatic efforts, progress toward ending the conflict has remained limited. International attention has also shifted in recent months, with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump focusing heavily on conflicts and tensions in the Middle East.