Kyiv, Lviv under Russian air attack; missile violates Polish airspace

People take shelter in a metro station during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 24, 2024. Thomas Peter

KYIV -Russia launched air strikes on Kyiv and the western Ukrainian region of Lviv on Sunday, officials said, with Poland's armed forces saying one of Russia's cruise missiles briefly violated Polish airspace.

Several explosions rocked Kyiv in early hours after air defence systems were engaged in repelling the Russian attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine air defence forces destroyed about a dozen of Russia-launched missiles over Kyiv and in the vicinity of the capital, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on the Telegram.

He added that there was only minor damage from the attack.

Russia has been pounding Ukraine for days in attacks portrayed by Moscow as revenge for Ukrainian attacks during its recent presidential election.

"For the third pre-dawn morning this week, all of Ukraine is under an air alert and has been advised to seek shelter," U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink posted on X early on Sunday.

"Russia continues to indiscriminately launch drones and missiles with no regard for millions of civilians, violating international law."

Russia's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

POLAND'S AIRSPACE

One of Russia's cruise missiles launched at Western Ukraine's region of Lviv, violated Poland's airspace Poland's armed forces said.

"The object entered Polish space near the town of Oserdow (Lublin Voivodeship) and stayed there for 39 seconds," the armed forces said on the social media platform X. "During the entire flight, it was observed by military radar systems."

The armed forces said earlier that Poland and allied aircraft was activated during the attack to ensure safety of Poland's airspace.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said on Telegram there were no attacks on the city but some 20 missiles and seven attack drones had been launched against the broader Lviv region, targeting "critical infrastructure".

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Gleb Garanich and Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William Mallard and Lincoln Feast.)