Sergei Popko, the head of the military administration, said Russia launched Shahed drones at Kyiv from various directions and then targeted the capital with missiles from Tu-95ms strategic aircraft.

He said more than 20 targets had been brought down by Ukraine’s air defences.

It was unclear how many had been launched.

It was the largest Russian strike on Kyiv “since spring” according to military authorities in the Ukrainian capital.

Explosions in Ukraine were also reported in the southern city of Odesa and the Cherkasy region.