Ukraine repels Russia’s air attack around Kyiv

Military officials in Ukraine’s capital say its air defence systems repelled all missiles and drones on their approach to Kyiv as Russia launched a wave of air attacks on Ukraine early on Sunday.

“According to preliminary information, not a single air target reached the capital,” Serhiy Popko, the head of the military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app early on Sunday.

“Air defence destroyed everything that was heading towards the city already at their distant approaches.”

Russia has repeatedly attacked Kyiv since May, chiefly at night, ahead of a long-expected Ukrainian counteroffensive to reclaim territory, in what Ukrainian officials say is an attempt to inflict psychological distress on civilians.

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Witnesses reported hearing several blasts in the Kyiv region, but not in the city, from what sounded like air defence systems hitting targets.

All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts for nearly three hours.

There were unverified Ukrainian social media reports of blasts heard in Kryvyi Rih in southern Ukraine, near the central city of Kropyvnitskyi and in the northeastern region of Sumy.