Russia conducted a “massive” attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Thursday, firing nearly 200 missiles and drones and leaving more than a million households without power, Ukrainian officials said.

Russia has launched a "massive" attack on Ukrainian energy and water infrastructure on Thursday, with people urged to take shelter from the barrage.

Ukraine’s military said its air defences shot down 71 of 145 drones launched by Russia – in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Odesa, Kherson and other regions – and lost track of a further 71 drones likely due to active electronic warfare.

Ukraine's power infrastructure was "under massive enemy attack" on Thursday, the energy minister said, after a countrywide air raid alert was declared due to incoming missiles.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 79 missiles and 35 drones overnight as explosions were heard across major Ukrainian cities. It added that 188 missiles and drones were launched by Russia. Explosions were heard in Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, Kharkiv, Rivne and Lutsk on Thursday morning, Ukrainian news outlets Zerkalo Tyzhnya and Suspilne said.

The energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, says facilities across the country were being targeted by missiles and emergency power cuts have been introduced.

An air raid alert has been declared across Ukraine amid reports of a cruise missile attack by Russia. The Ukrainian energy minister said that the country's energy infrastructure was targeted. DW has the latest.