Russian strikes rock Ukraine, killing 18 and wounding dozens

Updated 12.16pm, adds death toll.

A barrage of Russian missile and drone strikes killed 18 people and wounded dozens across Ukraine, authorities said on Tuesday, just days after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow was preparing a "massive new strike".

Ukraine's air force said it detected 73 missiles and 656 drones launched by Russia's army overnight, saying it downed 602 of the drones and 40 of the missiles.

Moscow has bombarded Ukraine almost daily since launching an offensive in 2022, often provoking retaliation from Kyiv, as talks to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II remain stalled.

AFP journalists heard several explosions in the Ukrainian capital, where local authorities said Russia struck with ballistic missiles, setting off fires and cutting power in several districts.

The city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said four people were killed and at least 58, including two children, wounded in the "mass enemy attack".

"Explosions in the city. Air defence forces are working! Stay in shelters!" Klitschko had warned earlier.

Residents rushed to shelters clutching bags and blankets, AFP journalists observed, as a large plume of smoke emanated from Kyiv's city centre.

"The enemy is striking with ballistic missiles," Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's City Military Administration, said.

Deadly strikes, involving both missiles and drones, were also reported elsewhere.

In the city of Dnipro, a Russian attack killed five people and wounded 25 others -- three of whom were in serious condition -- local governor Oleksandr Ganzha said.

Ten people, including a child, were wounded in the city of Kharkiv, according to the mayor, Igor Terekhov.

- 'Protect your lives' -

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said.

Another drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the southwestern city of Krasnodar, its operational headquarters said on Telegram.

The strikes on Ukraine came after Zelensky said on Friday "we have intelligence information about Russia preparing a new massive strike" and called for people to "protect your lives".

"Please pay attention to air alerts, protect your lives. Our services are working efficiently and are prepared; the Air Force and other defenders of our skies will be on duty 24/7, as always."

The Ukrainian president has reiterated his call to allies to allow and finance the supply of Patriot missiles, which can intercept Russian ballistic missiles.

He wrote to US President Donald Trump and the US Congress last week asking for Patriot systems to respond to the intensifying Russian air attacks.

Ukraine has also stepped up its strikes on occupied territories and on Russia in retaliation for the daily Russian bombardments.

Russia launched a record 8,150 long-range drones at Ukraine in May, an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data showed, up 24 percent from April.

Kyiv intercepted about 90 percent of all incoming drones and missiles in May, according to air force data.