Ukraine-Russia war live: Big explosions heard in first major Russian attack on Kyiv in months

Big explosions were heard in Kyiv as the Ukrainian capital came under air attack on Saturday, in the first major attack on the city since late September. “Strong explosions were heard on in the left bank of the capital,” Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram. “Preliminary, air defence was working against ballistic (missiles).” Russian troops are intensifying their attacks on the key eastern town of Avdiivka, a senior Ukraine officer has said, while the country’s general staff reported its military repelled many Russian assaults in widely separated sectors of the frontline. Russian forces were launching major infantry attacks, while trying to keep equipment intact, a military spokesperson said, telling a Ukrainian broadcaster that there were no dramatic statistics for destroying enemy equipment “because they use it much less, mainly from a distance”. “But their movements are quite dense now. It is not just infantry advancing but also parallel work of artillery, drones, aviation, the same air bombing and more,” they said, adding that Russian forces, were unable to replenish supplies quickly and that Ukrainian defensive positions were solid. Read More Anger as Ramaswamy seems to call Jewish Ukraine leader Zelensky ‘Nazi’ at GOP debate Russia seeks an 8-year prison term for an artist and musician who protested the war in Ukraine Russia reportedly is using Ukrainian POWs to fight in their homeland on Moscow's side Ukraine takes step towards EU membership as European Commission backs negotiations to begin