Blasts heard throughout Ukraine – officials

The mayor of Kiev Vitaly Klitschko reported explosions in at least three of the city’s neighborhoods on Friday and has urged residents to remain in bomb shelters. Aleksey Kuleba, who heads the Kiev Region’s administration, claimed air defense systems around the capital were engaging incoming missiles.

Reports of explosions and calls on the public to heed warnings about missile threats have come from Kharkov, Dnepropetrovks, Kirovograd, Poltava, and Vinnitsa Regions, among others. Meanwhile, the national system warning about possible airstrikes sounded for all parts of Ukraine by about 8:30 am (6:30 am GMT), according to local media.

There were few immediate reports about damage, though the mayor of Khrarkov, Igor Terekhov, reported a blackout. Aleksandr Vilkul, who heads the administration of Krivoy Rog Region, claimed missiles had hit a residential building, without offering further details.