The Ukrainian capital Kyiv suffered a major attack by Russian missiles and drones early Friday, which hit many districts and injured about ten people, according to local authorities, with loud explosions heard by AFP journalists.

"The Russians are hitting residential buildings. There are many high-rise buildings damaged across Kyiv, in almost every district," said the head of the city's military administration, Timur Tkachenko.

The official reported "at least 12 injured", including a pregnant woman.

AFP journalists heard loud explosions in the city center and observed that air defense systems were activated against drone and missile strikes.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who had asked residents to take shelter, indicated that "air defense forces are operating in Kyiv", signaling "a massive enemy attack on the capital".

Fires broke out in several neighborhoods after the strikes and rescue services were mobilized, he added.

"Sections of the heating networks have been damaged. In the Desniansky district, due to an emergency situation on the main heating line, some buildings are temporarily without heating," he said.

Oleksandr Markoushyn, mayor of Irpin, a town in the kyiv region, described a "difficult night" with "multiple shaheds (drones) and missiles flying over the town" on Facebook.

Continuing its offensive which began in 2022, Russia, whose forces are better equipped and more numerous, continues to advance in eastern Ukraine and especially in the Donetsk region where most of the fighting has been concentrated recently.

Meanwhile, Moscow has been increasing its bombings of Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure and railway network for weeks, against a backdrop of falling temperatures as winter approaches.

On the Russian side, authorities reported early Friday a Ukrainian attack on the oil port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea.

An oil refinery was hit by a fire that was later extinguished, and several residential buildings were damaged by drone debris, injuring one person, according to authorities. "Following a massive attack on Novorossiysk, drone debris damaged one of the civilian ships in the port," injuring three crew members, the Krasnodar region's operational headquarters added.

Ukrainian drone attacks regularly cause damage to the oil and gas sectors and to pipelines used for transporting hydrocarbons, leading to higher fuel prices.