Russia fired ballistic missiles and dozens of jet-powered drones at Kyiv, Ukraine's air force said, in a renewed attempt to sustain pressure on the capital and other cities through long-range attacks.

The Associated Press reported that the jet-powered drones can fly too fast and too high for some Ukrainian ground-based air-defence systems to intercept. Ukraine is developing faster interceptor drones, but the reporting underlined that manufacturing and fielding new systems takes time.

Ballistic missiles remain another point of vulnerability. AP said Ukraine is short of US-made Patriot interceptors needed for this class of threat, and that stockpiles have been constrained by demands elsewhere. Ukraine said two ballistic missiles were shot down overnight, but a single night does not settle the broader supply question.

In Odesa, local officials said the latest attack injured eight people and damaged homes, civilian infrastructure, a school, an animal shelter and port facilities. Ukraine has responded with long-range strikes on Russian missile, drone and refinery sites, while the ground front remains largely deadlocked.

The immediate military story is an adaptation contest: Russia is changing the speed and profile of its aerial attacks, while Ukraine is trying to close the gap with domestic interceptors and imported systems. With winter approaching, air defence is also a civilian-protection issue because strikes on the power grid can affect heating and water as well as military infrastructure.