At least eight people were killed in overnight airstrikes across Ukraine, as Russia claimed to have struck targets throughout the country. The attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a possible 'massive attack.'

One person was killed in Kyiv, with other fatalities reported as far west as Lviv. Explosions were heard over the capital early Thursday. Zelenskyy later stated that Russia had launched 70 rockets and 280 drones. Reuters and AFP confirmed the blasts.

The Kyiv city military administration confirmed one death. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles, urging residents to take shelter. Several non-residential buildings caught fire.

In Kryvyi Rih, central Ukraine, a missile strike killed two girls aged 5 and 12 and four adults, according to regional military head Oleksandr Vilkul. An Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from Voronezh hit a private home. Eight others were wounded, with the death toll expected to rise.

In Lviv, two apartment buildings were damaged and six people injured. Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace, calling the measures preventive.

The strikes followed Zelenskyy's warning of a 'high probability' of an attack. He urged allies to provide air defense systems, noting that protection of lives depends on their readiness to help.

Ukraine continued its attacks on logistics centers inside Russia. In Penza, a Wildberries warehouse caught fire after a Ukrainian drone strike, injuring one person and prompting the evacuation of 200. Ukraine claims Wildberries provides logistical support to the Russian military.

Source: www.dw.com