Russia launched a wave of missile attacks across Ukraine this morning, with a children's hospital in Kyiv among the buildings left in ruins.

We'll be pausing our coverage, but here's what you need to know:

• At least 36 people have been killed and more than 140 injured across Ukraine following the strikes, officials said
• The Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, the country's largest of its kind, sustained major damage during the blast
• Two people were killed at the hospital, where search and rescue operations are still under way
• Russia has denied targeting the hospital, claiming it was hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile
• For his part, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called the strike "deliberate" and vowed to retaliate

• The attacks come days before a Nato summit in Washington, where funding for Ukraine will be top of the agenda
• Western political figures have begun condemning the Russian strikes, as the UN Security Council says it will convene on Tuesday to discuss the attacks
• The Nato alliance will unveil significant new steps to bolster its military partnership with Ukraine, John Kirby said during a press briefing
• Elsewhere, three people were killed in Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces have taken control of a number of villages in recent weeks

For any new developments we will be keeping our story here updated here.

BBC Monitoring's Russia editor Vitali Shevchenko has also written this piece on how Russia's devastating campaign of air strikes has left millions in Ukraine without electricity - including surgeons operating on critically ill patients. He also joins Victoria Derbyshire on the latest Ukrainecast where the pair discuss the timing of these attacks and share eyewitness stories.

This page was written by Seher Asaf, Adam Durbin, Alex Smith, Jacqueline Howard and was edited by Nadia Ragozhina and Johanna Chisholm. Thank you for joining us.

Image source, Reuters

US President Biden will host an event with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy on Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says.

Speaking at a White House press briefing, Kirby added that prior to the event, there would also be a meeting of the Nato-Ukraine Council.

Kirby added that to help Ukraine protect its cities, the US and several allies will have "several big announcements" this week.

"What you will see over the course of the week is a set of very strong signals to Mr Putin that he can't wait Nato out, that he can't wait the US out, that we are going to continue supporting Ukraine," he said.

He said measures would include air defence, deterrence capabilities and "shoring up" Ukraine's defence industrial base.

Kirby added that there would also be "a reaffirmation of what the president has long said, that Nato is in Ukraine's future".

As a reminder, Ukraine is not a member of Nato and its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has said it is "inevitable" that it will become a member, but not until its war with Russia ends.

Many Western leaders and governments have responded to Russia's attacks today, including the Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg

He condemned the "heinous attacks" and said that decisions will be made at the military alliance's summit this week to strengthen support for Ukraine.

"In Ukraine, Russia continues its brutal war. Only today we have seen horrendous missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, killing innocent civilians, including children," he said.

Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres also condemned the strikes, according to his spokesperson, who said the UN secretary general had found the attack on the children's hospital in Kyiv and another medical facility "particularly shocking".

Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is "appalled by the images of the bombing" of Kyiv, adding that "war crimes like this must be condemned by the entire international community".

Russia has denied targeting the hospital, saying it was hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile.

Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, has declared 9 July a day of mourning following the deadly attacks on the capital.

All flags will be flown at half mast on municipal buildings throughout the city, he said in a Telegram post, and any entertainment events are cancelled.

At least 20 people have died in the capital, Klitschko says, and nearly 100 wounded.

Image source, Reuters

It's nearly 20:30 local time in Kyiv, but extensive rescue operations are still being carried out after a children's hospital was seriously damaged in the Ukrainian capital.

Here, you can watch footage, shared on on social media by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, that shows smoke rising from the hospital, and broken windows inside the now deserted medical facility.

The UN Security Council will convene a meeting on Tuesday at the request of Britain, France, Ecuador, Slovenia, and the US to discuss the attacks carried out across Ukraine that killed at least 36 people.

"We will call out Russia's cowardly and depraved attack on the hospital last night in the Security Council," the UK's permanent representative to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said on social media, external.

She echoed remarks made earlier by the UK's new foreign secretary, David Lammy, who condemned the attack while reiterating his country's support of Ukraine as "iron-clad".

At least 36 people are confirmed to have been killed and 140 injured as a result of Russian missile attacks across Ukraine today, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine’s President Zelensky, has said.

It was reported earlier today that two people died when the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital - Ukraine's biggest paediatrics facility - sustained major damage during the blast.

Vitaliy Klitschko, Kyiv's mayor, said the two who died at the hospital were adults - one of whom was a doctor.

He added that rescuers feared more people were trapped under the rubble, meaning the death toll could continue to rise.

Image source, Reuters

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina broke down in tears a little bit earlier as she made the Wimbledon quarter-finals, just hours after Russian missile strikes in her country killed at least 31 people today.

Wearing a black ribbon to commemorate the victims, the 29-year-old said it was "a very difficult day" for the people of Ukraine during a TV interview on court, adding that she felt like she was in a bit of "a fog" with her thoughts.

As she attempted to compose herself, she received a round of applause from spectators.

"It was not easy to focus on the match. Since this morning it has been very difficult to read the news and go on court," she said.

"So I was happy to play today and get the win. It was a good performance from my side. Thanks to everyone for their support."

Sarah Rainsford
BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent

Image source, EPA

A bit earlier today, Volodymyr Zelensky began a meeting in Poland with a moment’s silence in honour of those killed and injured in the latest devastating Russian attack.

On the podium, alongside the Polish Prime Minister, Ukraine’s president stood straight backed and eyes downcast. When he spoke, he was angry. He insisted the strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv was deliberate.

"Not shards," he said, "a direct strike". He described those responsible as "non-people". Inhuman. And he said he expected those who, as he put it, ordered strikes on civilians, to be punished.

As we reported earlier, Zelensky is in Poland on his way to the Nato summit in Washington. He said he expected concrete actions from Ukraine’s allies there this week, including improving Ukraine’s air defence systems.

"We will respond" to the latest missile strikes, Zelensky said. But he called on Ukraine’s allies, too, to "take responsibility".

Donald Tusk said words were not enough either to condemn the aggressor, as the prime minister put it, or to show Poland’s solidarity and support.

James Waterhouse
Ukraine correspondent in Kyiv

President Zelensky’s Chief of Staff has accused Russia of trying to “intimidate the world” ahead of a planned Nato summit in Washington DC.

Andriy Yermak claims the missile strike on Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital “wasn’t a mistake” and says it would be impossible to compromise with Russia as it doesn’t respect international law.

He hopes today’s horrors will help convince Nato members to allow Ukraine to finally join the alliance, although that remains a distant prospect.

On what a retaliaton could entail, he tells me: “President Zelensky always keeps his word. We won’t see this terrorist attack without an answer. It will be countered by force.”

Kyiv’s more nervous Western allies will be hoping that doesn’t mean an escalation in long-range strikes on Russian targets.

The Russian attacks today have killed at least 31 people across Ukraine.

Among the facilities hit was the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital, causing major damage to one of the country's most important paediatric facilities.

Children being treated there were evacuated with IV drips in their arms, with many needing to comforted by family outside the shattered remnants of a hospital ward that was hit directly.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Strikes on Ukraine come just ahead of Nato summit in Washingtonpublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 8 July

16:32 BST 8 July

Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent

These co-ordinated Russian missile strikes on Ukraine come just ahead of the Nato summit in Washington.

Military support for Ukraine was already top of the agenda - but there will now be more of a sense of urgency.

Many will see the timing of the attacks, likely ordered by President Putin, as no coincidence as Nato leaders mark the Alliance's 75th anniversary.

These latest strikes underline the plea from President Zelensky (who has been invited to attend the summit) for more air defences - specifically US made Patriot batteries.

These are one of the few systems that have been capable of intercepting Russia’s most advanced missiles - like the Kinzhal.

Russia describes the Kinzhal as an hypersonic missile - but in reality it manoeuvres more like a ballistic missile - exactly what the Patriot is designed to take down.

Ukraine has so far only been given a handful of Patriot batteries, supplied by the US and European allies. It says it needs another ten.

While there are signals in Washington that more help is soon coming regarding air defences, it still won’t be on the scale of what Ukraine wants.

Patriot batteries are also in high demand elsewhere round the globe.

Russia denies launching missiles at civilian targetspublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 8 July

16:20 BST 8 July

Steven Rosenberg
Moscow correspondent

Russia’s defence ministry has denied launching missiles at civilian targets today in Ukraine.

The ministry claims in a statement that the Russian military had only targeted “Ukrainian military industrial sites and air bases” and blamed the destruction in Kyiv on Ukrainian air defences.

No mention of the fact that, if Russia hadn’t been launching missiles at Ukraine in the first place, Ukraine wouldn’t need to employ its air defences.

In the Kremlin last Friday, I listened to Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming to support the idea of a “diplomatic resolution” to the war in Ukraine. He spoke about his so-called “peace initiative".

Just three days later, this: one of the most devastating Russian strikes on Ukraine in months. Quite a contrast.

A searing image in a familiar warpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 8 July

16:11 BST 8 July

James Waterhouse
Ukraine correspondent in Kyiv

For millions of Ukrainians there is a taxing familiarity to Russia’s invasion.

Sirens frequently sound across different cities. Explosions occasionally follow. As for towns closer to the front line, they’ve either become deserted, reduced to rubble, or both.

It’s now the story of Chasiv Yar, as invading troops continue to surround it, or what’s left of it.

In Kyiv, improved air defences had made it feel like a city of relative safety. But the weight of worry and interrupted sleep feels heavy for many.

And when the missiles do come, they come in numbers.

Every few months or so, an image breaks the rhythm of this gruelling war.

The sight of young cancer patients sitting outside the damaged Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv was a searing illustration of how these strikes don’t discriminate.

They are designed to mostly suppress and terrorise.

President Zelensky has promised to retaliate, and with his forces now able to hit some targets inside Russia with Western weapons, he can afford to be hawkish.

It’s partly why Ukrainian troops have been able to stabilise the front line in the north-eastern Kharkiv region after a major Russian assault from across the border.

Moscow’s targeting of Ukrainian cities doesn’t influence the battlefield, but it will both continue and be expected.

Image source, REuters

The Ohmatdyt hospital "didn't stop helping" children, despite the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, according to a woman who helped fundraise for the medical centre.

Kateryna Osadcha is a television presenter and fundraiser for the charity Your Support - which funded part of the hospital.

Speaking to the BBC News channel, she says only a few months ago a new building opened - housing a swimming pool for the rehabilitation of children.

Asked what would happen to the children being treated there, she says some "we can't transport them far", but they are all being evacuated to other hospitals.

There's "traffic of ambulances" lined around the hospital trying to help them leave, she says.

Kyla Herrmannsen
Reporting from Kyiv

Olena works as a cleaner at Ohmatdyt Hospital and was inside the building when the explosion occurred.

She heard a huge bang. She fell down onto her knees, trying to hide.

At first, she says she didn’t understand what was going on.

Then she heard sirens and saw injured patients all around her.

“Please, can someone stop this war because they are killing children and peaceful civilians”, Olena tells the BBC.

Kyla Herrmannsen
Reporting from Kyiv

We can now bring you some more first-person accounts from inside the strike on the Ohmatdyt hospital this morning, this time from Irina - a surgical nurse at the facility.

She and a surgeon were about to operate on a two-month-old baby at the exact moment that the attack happened.

The surgeon threw his body over the baby to protect it.

She says it was very loud and she says emotionally she went numb from the shock.

They managed to evacuate the baby into the shelter. The baby survived uninjured.

“The Russians are attacking our children,” she tells the BBC while crying

Image source, Getty images

Moving away from international reaction to today's strikes across Ukraine, let's return to the scene of the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, where a large scale rescue operation is going on.

Emergency services have been picking through the wreckage to search for survivors.

In the initial aftermath of the attack, people formed a human chain to remove the rubble piece-by-piece.

Dozens of volunteers, doctors and rescue workers are digging through debris, but with the amount of damage inflicted on the building it could take some time to complete.

Emergency workers at the scene are not sure exactly how many people - living or dead - are trapped inside the rubble left by the missile strike, our reporter Kyla Herrmannsen has been told by authorities

Image source, EPA

The UN has also just offered its condemnation of major Russian strikes across Ukraine, saying "dozens of people have been killed and injured".

In the latest update, at least 31 people were reported to have been killed in the rare daytime attack, including two at a children's hospital in Kyiv.

"It is unconscionable that children are killed and injured in this war," says Denise Brown, the humanitarian co-ordinator for Ukraine.

"Under international humanitarian law, hospitals have special protection. Civilians must be protected."

Image source, EPA

In response to today's rare daytime attacks across Ukraine, the newly elected government of the UK has just recently offered their response.

New Foreign Secretary David Lammy describes the hospital strike as the "most appalling attack on Ukrainian civilians".

After describing the UK's support for Ukraine as "iron-clad", he says: "We must hold those responsible for Putin's illegal war to account."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to social media to condemn "attacking innocent children" as the "most depraved of actions".