12 Strong Explosions Shake Kyiv After Warning of Missile Attack

Twelve "strong" explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, after authorities warned of a potential missile attack, according to a reporter from AFP on Wednesday.

The Kyiv military administration said via its Telegram channel: "All air raid sirens have been activated in Kyiv due to a threat of rocket strikes. We urge residents to go to the nearest shelter."

In recent months, both Russia and Ukraine have escalated long-range attacks targeting civilian infrastructure such as factories, warehouses, energy facilities, ports, and ships in the Black Sea.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a residential building and an office building were damaged in the Dniprovske area of the capital, with debris falling across the region.

In southern Ukraine, authorities also reported that the coastal city of Odesa was hit by an attack that damaged a 19-story residential building, destroying several of its floors, according to the city's military administration.