Ukraine-Russia news – latest: Putin fires biggest airstrike barrage on Kyiv since war began

The Ukrainian capital Kyiv shook from several explosions in the early hours today after Russia fired more than 40 missiles and drones in its biggest such attack since the war began in February last year. “A missile shot down near Kyiv,” the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. “Air defence working!” The Monday morning attack included a combination of missiles and drones, exceeding the largest barrage of 36 aerial weapons launched on Kyiv the previous night, which killed one person and injured several. All targets were shot down, the Ukrainian air defences claimed. No major damage or casualties have been recorded so far, officials said. On Sunday, the Ukrainian military said it had downed 58 of 59 drones headed for several parts of Ukraine, described by the air force as a record assault with Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones. Elsewhere on war frontlines, Kyiv indicated that its forces were ready to launch a long-promised counteroffensive to recapture territory taken by Russia in its full-scale invasion. Read More Russia’s ambassador to the UK openly defends attacks on Ukraine by shifting blame Lindsey Graham calls ‘Russians dying’ the ‘best money US has spent’ in Zelensky meeting Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk booed for refusing to shake opponent’s hand after French Open match