Five killed by Russian strike in central Ukraine
At least five people have been killed by a Russian drone and missile strike on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, officials say, BBC reports.
A further 53 people were injured in the blast early on Wednesday morning, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on Telegram. Officials said shops, schools and hospitals were damaged by the strike.
Mr Lysak described the attack as "vicious". Footage shared on social media showed a large plume of smoke and fire erupting from buildings after the blast.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and renewed his appeal to Western allies to supply his government with further air defence systems.
"Only two things can stop this Russian terror – modern air defence systems and the long-range capabilities of our weapons," he wrote on social media.
Dnipro, a city with a pre-war population of about a million people, has been a frequent target for Russian attacks since the war began over two years ago. Last year, 40 people were killed after a Russian missile slammed into a residential apartment building in the city.
Ukraine's air force said it downed six drones and five out of seven missiles which had targeted the city early on Wednesday.
