At least 13 people were killed and several others injured after Russian forces launched a major drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight.

The strikes, which rocked several buildings throughout the city, occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia was preparing for a massive attack.

In an update on Thursday, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said children were among the significant number of casualties.

“The enemy is once again deliberately targeting residential areas and killing civilians,” Mr Tkachenko stated.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones overnight, mainly targeting the capital.

The country’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, called on Ukraine’s partners to send more air defence systems, saying the country needed “not only words of condemnation but concrete action to stop Russian terror”.

“Do not equate an aggressor and a country defending from aggression. Do not justify atrocities that cannot be justified. This war is not only about Ukraine. It is about principles. And we need everyone in the world to be principled at this challenging time,” Mr Sybiha stated.

The latest attack marked the first large-scale missile and drone strike by Russia on Ukraine in more than two weeks.