Ukraine war: Russia launches 'massive' drone and missile attack

Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia early Friday as Moscow stepped up its attacks in Ukraine’s south and east and air raid sirens went off across much of the country.

Ukraine's military chief also confirmed two Russian cruise missiles flew over Moldova's airspace before entering Ukraine. The missiles were fired from the Black Sea, said Valery Zaluzhny.  

Moldovan authorities corroborated the Ukrainian statement, but reports that Romania's airspace was also breached were not confirmed by Bucharest. 

The Moldovan foreign ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador to protest "against the unacceptable violation of our airspace by a Russian missile," according to a statement. 

Explosions in Kyiv, and power grids targeted

Several explosions were also heard in Kyiv as officials reported high-voltage facilities across Ukraine being hit by Russian air strikes. 

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired "six Kalibr cruise missiles", "up to 35 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles at the Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions", and used "seven Shahed drones".

"Five Kalibr cruise missiles and five Shahed drones were destroyed" by the anti-aircraft defence, the air force said.

No casualties have been reported at this stage by Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine's power grid operator Ukrenergo said that several facilities in eastern, southern and western Ukraine had been hit, causing disruption to power supply.

Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said the city had been hit 17 times in one hour, which he said made it the most intense period of attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February