At least two people were killed in the city of Dnipro, after Russian missile strikes targeted several Ukrainian cities overnight including the capital Kyiv.
While Russia bombarded Ukrainian cities and infrastructure on a regular basis last winter, large assaults have tapered down in recent months. Kyiv had not been hit by a missile in over 50 days.
The majority of the battle is currently taking place in the east for control of the industrial Donbas region, particularly Bakhmut, which has been nearly completely destroyed.
Missiles “killed civilians again in the city of Dnipro”, city mayor Borys Filatov said Friday on Telegram, adding: “A young woman and a three-year-old child died.”
Local authorities also stated that Air defence systems were also activated in Kyiv.
“After a pause of 51 days, the enemy launched another missile attack on Kyiv,” said local air defence forces head Sergey Popko, according to the city administration.
According to Ukraine, a counteroffensive that aims to drive Russian soldiers away from the areas they now control in the east and south has been planned for months.