Ukraine-Russia war live updates: Four dead...

Kyiv has been bombarded with drones shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to respond to a massive Ukrainian attack in Russia.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported on Telegram that Russia had launched ballistic missiles and drones into the war-torn country early on Friday, per CNN.

A Telegram post from the air force warned, “Several Tu-95MS strategic bombers are in the air. They allegedly launched cruise missiles!”

CNN reported that Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv City Military Administration, said that there were reports of fires in buildings across Kyiv, and that a high-rise in the Solomyansky district was damaged.

Ukraine’s general staff said it struck Russian airfields in Saratov and Ryazan regions, in addition to fuel reservoirs, during an overnight attack on Friday.

“The Ukrainian Defence Forces launched a preemptive strike. On the eve of the massive enemy attack, enemy airfields and other important military facilities were hit,” the Ukrainian military said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

It comes after Ukrainian attacks on Russian airfields sparked fury in Moscow, with Kyiv claiming that 41 bombers were destroyed in the stunning strikes.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called on the US, Europe and other countries to ramp up pressure on Russia after it launched more than 400 drones and 40 missiles in attacks on Ukraine on Friday.

“If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives that is complicity and accountability. We must act decisively,” he wrote on X.

“In total, over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles – including ballistic missiles – were used in today’s attack. 49 people were wounded.

“Unfortunately, the number may increase – people are reaching out for help. As of now, three deaths have been confirmed – all of them were employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky added.

While Donald Trump appears ready to step back from immediate efforts towards peace in Ukraine, Kyiv and Moscow continue to trade blows.

On Thursday, Ukrainian forces launched an attack on Russia’s Byransk region, targeting a concentration of Russian troops and three missile launchers, the general staff said.

One Iskander missile launcher – the short-range ballistic missile system which Russia uses to strike military and infrastructure targets in Ukraine – was destroyed, the military said. Two others were seriously damaged.

The targeted united was part of Russia’s 26th Missile Brigade which attempted to fire on Ukrainian territory and likely aimed at Kyiv, the military added according to The Kyiv Independent.

“Thanks to effective reconnaissance and the coordinated efforts of the Armed Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine, the targets were successfully hit,” the General Staff said, adding that there were no civilian casualties.

Poland’s foreign minister has taken aim at Elon Musk amid his spectacular fallout with US president Donald Trump on social media.

Warsaw’s top diplomat Radoslaw Sikorski in March was embroiled in an extraordinarily public clash with Musk and US secretary of state Marco Rubio. He had suggested that Kyiv may need an alternative to the Starlink satellite service.

This prompted an angry Musk to tell Mr Sikorski to “be quiet, small man” amid a flurry of posts on his social media platform X.

After a public feud exploded between Trump and Musk on Thursday, Mr Sikorski took the chance to poke fun at the Tesla and SpaceX boss.

“See, big man, politics is harder than you thought,” he said in a post on X. Musk did not immediately respond to the post – arguably out of character for the business mogul who often tweets dozens of times per day.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the early morning attack killed and injured 20 people, 16 of them in hospital.

The city’s metro transport system was disrupted by a Russian strike that hit and damaged tracks between stations, Kyiv’s military administration said. Ukraine’s state rail company Ukrzaliznytsia said it was also detouring some trains due to railway damage in the region.

In the Solomianskyi district, a Russian drone slammed into the side of apartment building, leaving a gaping hole and burn marks, a Reuters photographer at the scene said.

Falling concrete blocks from the building crushed cars parked below. Two police investigators were examining what appeared to be the drone’s engine.

Earlier in the night, Reuters reported the sound of Russian kamikaze drones buzzing in the sky, accompanied by the sounds of outgoing fire from Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire.

Reuters witnesses reported a series of booming explosions powerful enough to rattle windows far from the impact sites.

Some Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, or in underground car parks.

Ukraine’s air force said the country had been targeted with drones and missiles overnight.

Russian forces struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, mayor Serhii Nadal said.

The regional administration said the attack injured five people and recommended residents stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire.

Five people were injured in the northwestern city of Lutsk where the attack also damaged private homes, educational institutions and government buildings, according to mayor Ihor Polishchuk.

Donald Trump has hinted he might consider imposing sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine if the war goes on.

Before meeting German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Mr Trump said he believed that “at some point” there would be peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Asked whether he would impose further sanctions on Russia, the president responded: “When I see the moment where it’s not going to stop… we’ll be very, very, very tough.

“And it could be on both countries to be honest. You know, it takes two to tango.”