Drones attack Kyiv as Ukraine watches Belarus border

Drones attacked Kyiv, days after the Ukrainian capital withstood one of the biggest missile attacks since the start of Russia's February invasion.

The latest strikes came as Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to Belarus, Ukraine's neighbour in the north, where Moscow's troops stationed as part of a regional force are due to hold military exercises.

"During the air alert, 23 enemy UAVs were recorded in the sky above the capital. Air defence destroyed 18 drones," the Kyiv city military administration said on social media.

It added that the Russian forces were using barrage ammunition from "Shaheds", Iranian-made weapons that have pummelling the capital in recent weeks.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that "explosions" had occurred in the capital's central Shevchenkivskyi and the Solomianskyi district in the west.

He said critical infrastructure facilities were "damaged" but there were no known casualties.

Ukrainian energy operator DTEK said emergency power cuts will be carried out in the capital following the attack.

Ukraine has been subjected to frequent and deadly aerial attacks in the 10 months since Russia's invasion in late February.

After a series of key battlefield setbacks and lost territory this summer and autumn, Moscow pivoted strategies and stepped up its aerial campaign.

But with temperatures dropping, the missile and drone attacks have plunged cities around the country into darkness, and severed water and heat supplies to millions of Ukrainians.