Russia has not commented on the latest events, but it has previously denied targeting civilians during its invasion of the neighbouring country.

Twenty people, including five children, have been injured and others are feared trapped after an alleged Russian strike near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro hit a two-storey building.

Regional Governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messaging app that three boys among the children were in serious condition. Seventeen of the 20 people were being treated in hospital, he added.

Media reports said emergency teams had pulled four people from under rubble in the town known as the Pidhorodnenska community. Lysak said another child was likely still trapped.

Social media reports said a Russian missile caused the explosion and that an emergency services building was also hit, but there has not been any confirmation of a missile strike from Ukrainian military officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video showing rescuers searching the remains of the two-storey building. He said on Telegram that the explosion occurred between two buildings.

“Unfortunately, there are people under the rubble,” Zelenskiy wrote, describing the blast in Dnipro as a deliberate Russian attack. “Once again, Russia proves it is a terrorist state.”

Russia has not commented on the latest events, but it has previously denied targeting civilians during its invasion of the neighbouring country.

Explosions were also reported in other parts of Ukraine, including over the capital of Kyiv, where air defence systems have again been deployed. All parts of the country have been placed under air raid alerts.

Air defence systems were engaged early Sunday in repelling air attacks near Kyiv, the military administration of the Ukrainian capital said on Telegram.

Officials in Sumy, in the north, recorded 87 blasts as a result of Russian shelling, noting that were injuries and destruction of infrastructure. More than a dozen explosions were also reported in the Russian-occupied southern cities of Berdyansk and Melitopol, though details were scant.