Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv kills at least four

A "massive" Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv and its surrounding areas killed at least four people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday.

The strikes came as children were set to return to school after the summer holidays, and as officials tightened security measures during fears of further Russian strikes.

"Kyiv region came under a massive attack by Russian missiles and strike drones tonight," Kyiv regional military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram.

AFP journalists in the capital heard around a dozen loud explosions and saw flashes in sky early Tuesday moments after the air force warned of incoming ballistic missiles.

"Sadly, 3 people were killed in the enemy attack on the capital," the city military admnistration said, adding that were reports of five wounded.

Strikes in Boryspil, east of Kyiv, damaged a business, leaving one person dead and another wounded, Tkachenko said, adding that eight more were wounded when a residential building was hit.

The Ukrainian air force had earlier warned that the threat of "ballistic weapons and other means of attack against Kyiv and the region remains in effect", and urged residents to remain in shelters.

Ukrainian children return to school on Tuesday, and the Kyiv regional military administration has warned there must be no large events in areas with a high level of risk.

Kyiv and its surrounding areas have come under sustained pressure from Russian drone attacks in recent weeks, with jet-powered drones adding to the threat and triggering as many as a dozen air-raid alerts a day.

One weekend attack on an ammunition depot killed 38 people in the capital's suburbs.

Both sides have escalated long-range strikes in recent months, targeting infrastructure such as warehouses, businesses, and oil and port facilities, as well as ships, increasing civilian casualties.

Ukraine faces a shortage of interceptor missiles, particularly US-made Patriot systems used against ballistic threats.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)