KYIV  -  Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has been hit by the first Russian air attack in 52 days, according to city of­ficials. Writing on the Telegram messaging app, Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said “strong explo­sions were heard” in the early hours of Saturday morning. Preliminary information suggests air de­fence systems were able to intercept the missiles, Mr Klitschko said. Residents have been ordered to take refuge in air raid shelters.

There have been no initial reports of casualties following the air attack, according to news agency Reuters. The strikes came as President Volodomyr Zelensky marked the first anniversary of the lib­eration of Kherson from Russia. Speaking to the city’s residents, he praised them for “inspiring the world with their resistance”. In Odesa, the coastal district some 275 miles (442 km) from Kyiv, there were reports of at least two missile attacks.

According to the region’s head of administra­tion, Oleg Kiper, three people were injured and a 96-year-old woman was hospitalised. Her condi­tion is understood to be stable. On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said at least one person had been killed after a Russian missile struck a civil­ian ship entering Odesa. A 43-year-old harbour pilot died, while three Filipino crewmembers and a port worker were injured. At a G7 meeting in Japan this week, foreign ministers from Brit­ain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the US - as well as EU representatives, said they recognised that Russia is prepared for a long war in Ukraine.