A large-scale Russian drone and missile strike, including a rare attack in the city centre, early on Thursday killed at least eight people and injured 45 in Ukraine's capital, local authorities reported. It marked the first significant combined Russian assault on Kyiv in weeks, as United States (US)-led peace efforts to resolve the ongoing war faced increasing difficulty.

Among the victims were two children, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported, citing initial information. The death toll is expected to rise further as rescue operations continue to pull people out from beneath the rubble, news agency AP reported.

"Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X following the attack, adding, "We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions."