Air defences were engaged in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Thursday to repel a Russian drone attack, officials said, and Reuters witness reported explosions in the city while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was visiting.

Russians launched 55 Shahed attack drones and various types of imitators against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defense managed to destroy 34 of them, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russia's military on Tuesday said it would retaliate against Ukraine after Kyiv attacked Russian regions by firing six U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles, six UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles and launching one of the biggest drone attacks to date.

Russia’s military on Tuesday said it would retaliate against Ukraine after Kyiv attacked Russian regions by firing six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles, six UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles and launching one of the biggest drone attacks to date.

The barrage appeared to be one of the largest recent assaults in Ukraine’s campaign to damage Russia’s war machine on its home territory.

Ukrainian forces used missiles and drones on Tuesday to target sensitive military and energy sites across Russia.

NATO member Poland scrambled fighter jets after overnight Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, Warsaw's military said on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces told Newsweek that "intense long-range aviation activity" from Russia had been detected early on Wednesday.