War in Ukraine: Four killed as Russia launches huge attack

the attacks have caused serious damage to some infrastructure, with power outages reported in many cities – including Kyiv – and water supplies disrupted.

Emergency blackouts have been imposed, energy company DTEK warned, adding that its engineers were working to return electricity supplies across the country.

On Telegram, Russia said it had used high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons as well as drones in what it called a “massive attack”.

Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since early on its full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.

In recent months it has renewed its campaign of attacks on the power grid, causing frequent blackouts across the country.

In June, President Zelensky said Russia had destroyed half of his country’s electricity-generating capacity since it began pummelling its energy facilities in late March.

Ukraine is buying energy from the European Union – however, this is not enough and so most days the country has a planned nationwide blackout to protect critical needs such as hospitals and military sites.

The Russian military has been making slow but steady advances in the east in recent months.

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a surprise recent offensive into Kursk in Russia, which was seen as an attempt to draw troops away from the eastern front line. Experts say that effort has failed to materialise, with Moscow’s forces remaining broadly engaged in Ukraine.

On Monday, Ukraine tried to attack an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, a city north-east of Moscow, according to the regional governor. No casualties or damage have been reported.

And Russia’s defence ministry said it had destroyed nine drones over its Saratov region, which is 560 miles (900km) from the Ukrainian border.

Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, called on Ukraine’s allies to give permission to launch long-range attacks on Russia with Western-supplied weapons, in a message on Telegram.