Kiev, 27 December 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Russia launched further missile and drone strikes across Ukraine overnight, targeting several regions and the capital Kiev, where Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Saturday said at least 19 people had been injured.

Serious fires broke out in two high-rise buildings in the city as a result of the attacks, Klitschko reported on his Telegram channel.

The number of injured rose during the morning as rescuers also worked at other damaged residential buildings. Heating failed in thousands of homes in the city of 3 million people and power outages were reported.

"Currently, there are more than 2,600 residential buildings, 187 kindergartens, 138 schools and 22 social institutions without central heating," Klitschko said. "Energy suppliers and municipal utilities are working to restore energy and heat supplies."

Air raid sirens sounded throughout the country during the strikes, which also affected the Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Zhytomyr regions, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Ukrainian media reported that hypersonic Kinzhal missiles were among the weapons used, with energy infrastructure reportedly targeted.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.

With the latest attacks, Russia is exerting military pressure ahead of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his US counterpart Donald Trump scheduled for Sunday in Florida.

In turn, Zelensky is likely to once again make Kiev's red lines clear in the negotiations with Trump. The Ukrainian leader rejects any surrender with a dictated peace on Moscow's terms.

Pro-Ukrainian Russian commander killed

Among the latest military casualties, Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian volunteer corps RDK fighting against Moscow's troops, died in a drone attack in the Kiev-controlled part of the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhya.

This was announced on Telegram by the RDK, which vowed to retaliate for the death of "Whitrex," the call sign under which Kapustin led his force.

As well as fighting to defend Ukrainian soil, the RDK in the past also advanced into Russian territory with troops and heavy equipment and temporarily took control of towns there.

MIA file photo