The regional administration of the Ukrainian capital Kiev said that 3 people were killed and at least 14 others were wounded in Russian rocket attacks on the city, while authorities declared a state of air alert in the capital and the northern regions of the country.

Moscow has criticized the West's supply of long-range weapons to Kiev, calling Western countries to say it discourages strikes on Russia as a "lie."

Kiev's mayor said a series of explosions had occurred in the city and air defences had confronted targets in the skies.

The Ukrainian air force confirmed that its defenses shot down 10 Iskander ballistic missiles targeting Kiev overnight.

The military administration in the Ukrainian capital also said that a fire broke out in the Dnipro district of the city as a result of falling debris from one of the rockets, while a clinic in the Desnyan district of the capital was damaged by the fall of another missile.


Shelling of Belgorod

On the other hand, the governor of Russia's Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said this morning that two people were injured in Ukrainian shelling on the town of Shibekino of the region during the night.

Gladkov said on Telegram: "This was a tense night for Shippkino. The shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces lasted for an hour. According to preliminary data, two people were injured."

The governor added that one citizen had his arm amputated and remained in serious condition, while another suffered a concussion and was taken to hospital alone in moderate condition.

Gladkov confirmed that medical assistance was provided to those in need, adding that operational and emergency services were on site.


False claim

Politically, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the West's provision of long-range weapons to Kiev, saying that those who say that this does not encourage strikes on Russia are false.

Yesterday, the White House announced the latest batch of military aid to Ukraine, including air defense systems, ammunition and other defense equipment worth up to $300 million.

The Pentagon said the batch includes Patriot air defense batteries, Stinger anti-aircraft systems, tank ammunition and other equipment.

The United States has allocated more than $38.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since President Joe Biden came to the White House, including about $37.6 billion since the start of the Russian war in February 2022.

Lavrov also accused Britain of directly inciting Kiev to carry out "terrorist" operations against Russia.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly's statement that Kiev knows better the means to ensure its safety is direct incitement to carry out terrorist operations against Russia, he said.

Cleverly had previously asserted that Ukraine has the right to use force outside its borders in order to undermine Russia's ability to use military force inside Ukraine.

This comes in response to the succession of attacks on targets inside Russian territory, as Moscow announced yesterday that drones attacked two oil refineries and that one of the Russian border towns was hit by artillery shelling for the third time in a week.

Western powers have had mixed positions on the attacks, which have increased in recent weeks, culminating in an unprecedented drone attack on Moscow on Tuesday and a major armed incursion last week into the Belgorod province bordering Ukraine.


Ukrainian exile

Kiev has denied any responsibility for the rally attacks, and Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian president, said they were "internally organized".

Podolyak explained – in an interview with Al Jazeera – that the attacks were carried out with small marches launched from the vicinity of Moscow, pointing out that Russia is losing control of its airspace in light of the increase in attacks with drones.

"We are happy with what is happening in Russia. The war is gradually moving to Russian territory because they did not try to solve the problems in a peaceful way."

"We see how attacks on Russia are increasing with drones. At the level of organization, these are internally organized matters, Russia is losing control of its airspace, and the number of such attacks is increasing. The drones are not Ukrainian and were launched from areas in the vicinity of Moscow and showed that Russia is not as powerful as it claims and does not have strong air defense systems."