In the early morning hours, rescuers in Kyiv were sifting through the rubble of destroyed buildings, including a damaged children's hospital, while grieving families watched as two bodies were pulled out of an apartment block.

"There used to be a building here, and now it's gone," said 45-year-old resident Maria Abramova.

She had only just reached her children's room after the air raid alert sounded when explosions rang out, blowing her windows out and "nearly killing" her husband.

The ballistic missiles that Moscow increasingly fires at Kyiv fly up to thousands of kilometres per hour and reach the capital within minutes of an air raid warning.

The first explosions rang out over Kyiv less than three minutes after the official warning late Wednesday night - leaving locals basically no time to reach a shelter.

Kyiv has struggled to intercept the salvos of ballistic missiles, which can only be effectively shot down by US-designed Patriot air defence systems.

The country has repeatedly appealed to its allies for additional support as Russia steps up its strikes - firing a record number of missiles in July, according to AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data.

"We need missiles for the 'Patriots' - something that only our partners can provide," Zelenskyy said in his evening address.

"It is vital that decisions are taken - the relevant political decisions by our partners, and first and foremost in the United States," he added.

"MASSIVE ATTACK"

The attack also damaged warehouses in Boryspil, outside Kyiv, authorities said.

The attack lasted nine hours in the capital, which had been bracing for a strike for a few days.

"It was a massive attack - the Russians prepared for a long time and combined various types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones," Zelenskyy said.

Russia launched at least 44 missiles, of which 39 were shot down, according to the air force.

Moscow said it hit "military-industrial facilities, a transportation and logistics centre, and warehouses" in Kyiv and its region.

POLAND, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA

Poland's military command said it had mobilised aircraft and activated air defences aimed at protecting its airspace, particularly in areas bordering Ukraine.

Romania's defence ministry said radar systems detected aerial targets near the Ukrainian border overnight, prompting the scrambling of two Spanish fighter jets deployed on NATO missions and a Romanian air force helicopter.

The ministry said a drone entered Romanian airspace near Galati before crashing in an unpopulated area around Tulcea, close to Ukraine.

Moldova also said a Shahed-style drone - used by Russia - crashed on its territory, triggering a fire near the border with Ukraine.

Russia also reported downing 726 Ukrainian drones fired overnight.

While Kyiv has faced near-nightly attacks, Ukraine has also escalated its retaliatory strikes on Russia in recent months, in part to try to pressure Moscow into coming to the negotiating table to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.

Diplomatic efforts have failed to move the two sides towards a deal, with Russia demanding sweeping territorial and political concessions from Kyiv.

Zelenskyy has ruled out agreeing to those terms, viewing it as an effective capitulation that would leave his country dangerously exposed to another Russian attack.