Several Russian Tu-95 bombers took off from a base in Murmansk, north of the Arctic circle, on Thursday, firing more than 30 missiles at targets across Ukraine, Ukrainian military spokesman Yuriy Ignat told local media.

At least one person was killed and two others were injured in Kyiv, where explosions and gunfire were heard as air defences rushed into action.

Earlier, Ukraine's air force said it had shot down a cluster of 24 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russian forces from the Sea of Azov in the south of the country.