At least nine people have been killed and more than 30 others injured in the ballistic missile attack, including four children, authorities reported.

The attack was the latest in Russia’s increasingly frequent mass airstrikes against cities in Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Thursday on vessels in the Black ‌Sea and the Sea of Azov, stepping up hostilities in a zone vital for grain exports that have triggered a rise in global wheat prices.

At least 14 dead as Ukraine and Russia escalate attacks, increasing civilian casualties amid ongoing conflict nearly four-and-a-half years in.

The blitz expanded Russia's bombardment of Ukrainian cities as Moscow apparently looked to exploit Kyiv's shortage of Western-supplied antiballistic missile defenses.