Ukraine war: Russian missiles hit Odesa on WWII anniversary

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian targets in the past few months

Russian missile strikes have left seven people dead in Ukraine's southern Odesa region and Kharkiv in the north-east.

A girl aged 10 was among four killed in Odesa late on Wednesday, in an attack coinciding with the city's liberation from the Nazis during World War Two.

Two women and a girl of 14 were also killed in an attack on a pharmacy not far from Ukraine's northern border with Russia, officials said.

Russia's recent attacks have targeted Ukraine's energy sector in particular.

Power infrastructure came under attack in five regions early on Thursday from more than 40 missiles and 40 drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Some 200,000 people were left without power in the Kharkiv region alone, said officials, and Mr Zelensky appealed for increased international support.

"We need air defence and other defence assistance, not turning a blind eye and lengthy discussions," he said.

A multi-billion dollar aid package for Kyiv continues to be blocked by Republicans in the US Congress.

The head of the Ukrainian air force said 57 of 82 Russian airborne weapons were destroyed, although air defences failed to intercept either Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles fired by Russian MiG warplanes or guided S-300 missiles.

Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of targeting civilians with double-tap tactics, where a missile strike is followed by a second which aims to kill emergency service personnel arriving at the scene.

Governor Kiper said ballistic missiles had been used in the strikes on Odesa between 18:00 and 18:30 (15:00-15:30 GMT) on Wednesday.

Attacks on Kharkiv, the closest big city to the Russian border, have been intensifying in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have said the city might be the target of a future Russian offensive.

The country's second-largest city has suffered extensive damage from months of Russian bombardment since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine has been suffering setbacks on the ground in the past few months.

Ukrainian troops have been running out of ammunition as vital US support has been held up by supporters of former President Donald Trump in Congress.

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has been refusing to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60bn (£48bn) in military aid for Ukraine.

The US's top general in Europe told Congress on Wednesday that Ukraine would run out of artillery shells and air defence interceptors "in fairly short order" without American support.

Gen Christopher Cavoli said Russia was currently firing five artillery shells for every one fired by Ukrainian forces - a disparity which could soon increase to 10 to one.

"Without our support, they will not be able to prevail," Gen Cavoli said.