Air defense systems were deployed in the early hours of today to repel a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced, urging residents to rush to shelters and remain there until the alert ends.

Reuters reporters heard explosions in various areas of the city.

Earlier, the air force issued an alert, hours after warning that Russian strategic bombers had taken off as missiles were “heading towards Kiev”.

Tupolev Tu-95MS bombers were recorded taking off from their base in Alenia, in the Murmansk regionin northeastern Russia, the Ukrainian PA reported earlier via Telegram.

The air force had also announced take-offs of such Soviet-era strategic bombers earlier this month and last month.

In late December, a wave of strikes involving Tu-95MS targeted several Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, with authorities saying at the time that 39 people had died.