\n<\/p>\n
On Thursday morning, daylight brought clearer images of a crater which appeared to be caused by the impact of explosions. <\/p>\n
Smouldering cars, buildings and infrastructure could also be seen next to bombed-out debris. <\/p>\n
Multiple fires broke out across the city and damage was reported at an ambulance station in the city, which left at least one person critically injured.<\/p>\n
Firefighters were also dousing a blaze destroying a hotel on a central boulevard. <\/p>\n
Overnight, tracer fire from air defence systems were spotted lighting up the sky, and explosions from drones, cruise and ballistic missiles were heard.<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s US ambassador Olha Stefanishyna wrote in a post on X: “Another horrific night for the residents of the city, who were forced to spend it in shelters.”<\/p>\n
“Fires and the destruction of civilian infrastructure and residential buildings in several districts of the city.”<\/p>\n
It marks the first large-scale missile and drone strike by Russia on Ukraine in more than a two weeks.<\/p>\n
Russia also hit military bases in central and eastern Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Defence, quoted in Russian media.<\/p>\n
It claimed to have targeted Ukrainian defence and energy infrastructure in response to recent attacks on Russian power stations from Moscow to the Black Sea.<\/p>\n
The attacks led to a rare concession by Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country was facing fuel shortages.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Zelensky cut short his visit to Dublin after he said fresh intelligence had emerged suggesting that Moscow was planning to strike Ukraine.<\/p>\n
“I urge our people to be especially careful, to protect themselves, their children, and, of course, their families,” he said.<\/p>\n
He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has been preparing this massive strike against Ukraine for some time now”.<\/p>\n
Poland has also activated fighter jets to protect its airspace, describing it as a “preventative” measure. There are no reports of attacks on Polish territory.<\/p>\n
“These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened regions,” Poland’s military wrote on X., external<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Poland is a member of Nato, a signatory to the military alliance’s Article 5 provision that states “an armed attack against one Nato member shall be considered an attack against them all”<\/p>\n Russian troops recently advanced into the city of Kostyantynivka, one of Ukraine’s last key bulwarks in the east. If Moscow secures the city, it would provide a gateway to the entire Donbas region.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Ukrainian commanders say they have recaptured more territory this year than they have lost, disrupting Moscow’s crucial supply lines between the Russian border and occupied Crimea.<\/p>\n The war has otherwise stalled for months with each side’s troops largely entrenched in their positions.<\/p>\n Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, mostly seized in the first few months of its full-scale invasion in February, 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n