Eight killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine

Kyiv, April 19 (IANS/DPA) At least eight people were killed and 15 injured in southern Ukraine due to heavy bombardment by Russia early on Friday, authorities said.

Two people were killed and 15 injured in the regional capital of Dnipro, Governor Serhiy Lysak announced on Telegram.

Governor Lysak announced on Telegram a five-storey residential building was hit and the state-owned railway said rail facilities had been targeted. The main railway station in Dnipro was closed and long-distance trains were diverted.

According to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, six people were also killed in the town of Synelnykove - including two children - after several family homes were hit.

Ukraine is being targeted almost every night by Russian missiles as Moscow tries to up the ante after months of stalemate in the conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine over two years ago.

A factory was also damaged in Pavlohrad and an infrastructure building in Kryvyi Rih, officials added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram that the skies over Ukraine could be defended just as well as the skies over Israel if foreign partners supplied more weapons.

According to Governor Lysak, the air defence system over Dnipropetrovsk was able to shoot down nine Russian missiles, but others got through.

Since Soviet times, Dnipro and other cities in the region have been home to defence industries.

To the south, the Dnipro River forms the front line of the war and Russian troops shelled the Nikopol district across the river with artillery, Lysak added.

The port city of Odessa was also attacked with missiles from the Black Sea, the Ukrainian Air Force said.