Russia Launches Strikes Across Ukrainian Cities

KYIV, Ukraine

Russia launched a wave of missile strikes on Friday across Ukrainian cities, including the capital, authorities said as they raised a nationwide air alert.

The overnight attacks came days after Ukraine struck a Russian warship in the occupied Crimean port of Feodosia.

Explosions were reported in Kyiv, city mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a post on Telegram.

Missiles also struck at least five other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv in the northeast, Lviv in the country's west as well as Odesa in the south, the cities' mayors and police said.

"Today, at five o'clock in the morning, the fascists' followers hit the peaceful city with S-300 missiles. 10 explosions rang out in Kharkiv. Specialized services quickly arrived at strike spots," Kharkiv region police said.

Overnight attacks were also reported in Sumy and Konotop.

In southern Odesa, a high-rise building caught fire after being struck by debris from a downed drone, the city's mayor said.

"As a result of another enemy attack, one of the high-rise buildings was damaged. The fire was promptly extinguished," mayor Gennady Trukhanov said in a social media post.

The attacks came after Kremlin on Tuesday acknowledged a Ukrainian attack had damaged a warship in the occupied Crimean port of Feodosia in what Ukraine and its Western allies called a major setback for the Russian navy.

Ukraine has said its air force destroyed the Novocherkassk landing ship, with President Volodymyr Zelensky joking on social media that the vessel had now joined "the Russian underwater Black Sea fleet".

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed "about the damage to our large landing ship" to President Vladimir Putin in "a very detailed report".

Russia's defence ministry said that the ship was damaged by guided aerial missiles.

Ukraine's military said its air force destroyed the Russian naval ship in a missile attack on the eastern Crimean port.

On Thursday, Zelensky thanked the United States for releasing the last remaining package of weapons available for Ukraine under existing authorisation, as uncertainty surrounds further aid to his war-torn country.

Zelensky had warned that any change in policy from the US -- Kyiv's main backer -- could have a strong impact on the course of the war.

"I thank President Joe Biden, Congress, and the American people for the $250 million military aid package announced yesterday," Zelensky said on social media.

"To defend freedom and security not only in Ukraine and Europe but also in the United States, we must continue to respond to ongoing Russian aggression," he said.