At least 14 killed, scores injured as Russia pounds Ukrainian cities

At least 14 people were killed and scores injured in a massive wave of Russian airstrikes across Ukraine overnight, officials said on Thursday.

The southern port of Odessa was hit hard, with the head of the city’s military administration, Serhiy Lysak, reporting eight dead and 16 injured in several waves of missile and drone attacks.

In Kiev, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that four people were killed and 45 injured in the bombardment. He said the dead included a 12-year-old child and urged residents to remain in shelters as the city was attacked again.

Journalists from The Kyiv Independent reported multiple explosions as missiles struck the city in several waves.

Damage to residential and commercial buildings was reported across several districts, said the city’s military administration head, Tymur Tkachenko.

Emergency services rescued a child from the rubble of a damaged apartment block. The child and the mother were receiving treatment.

Air raid alerts were also issued in other regions. In Dnipro, at least two people were killed and 27 injured in a missile strike, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on Telegram.

Five of the injured were in a critical condition and several residential buildings caught fire.

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than four years. Since the start of the war, Moscow has repeatedly attacked areas far behind the front line, also hitting civilian infrastructure.