Olena Harmash
KYIV - Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in several parts of Ukraine in overnight attacks and at least 17 missiles hit the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia early on Friday.
Air sirens blared across the country during the morning rush hour and local officials urged civilians to take shelter, warning of potential new strikes.
"Enemy aviation is in the air and ships which can carry Kaliber missiles are in the sea. The enemy launched the missiles. The air alert will be long," said Maksym Marchenko, regional governor of the southern region of Odesa.
"Please do not ignore the air alert sirens, and go to the shelters."
The attack on Zaporizhzhia was the heaviest since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, local officials said.
Critical infrastructure was also hit Khmelnitskyi in western Ukraine, Kharkiv in the north-east and the Dnipropetrovsk region in the centre of the country, regional officials said.
Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television that Ukrainian air defences had shot down five of seven drones and five out of six Kaliber missiles launched at Ukraine.
The air force also said 35 S-300 missiles were launched in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhizhia regions. Ukraine's air defences are unable to shoot down these type of missiles.
Officials also said they ordered the emergency shutdowns of electricity across the country following the attacks on infrastructure.
Several high-voltage facilities across Ukraine were hit by Russian missile attacks on Friday morning, Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo said.
It said that several facilities in eastern, southern and western Ukraine had been hit, causing disruption to power supply.
Explosions were also heard in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the surrounding region on Friday, Reuters witnesses and officials said.
Kyiv city administration said air defence was working in the capital.
Reuters