Ballistic missiles struck areas east of Kyiv in the early hours of SaturdayAt least three people, including a child, were killed in overnight Russian missile strikes near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, local authorities said, as Moscow and Kyiv continued a sustained exchange of long-range drone attacks.Ballistic missiles struck areas east of Kyiv in the early hours of Saturday, with residents reporting powerful explosions. The strikes killed three people and wounded three others, according to Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration.Falling debris damaged apartment buildings and cars, while fires broke out at several locations. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said emergency crews were also battling fires at a building and a fuel tank.The attack came days after Russian strikes across Ukraine killed 21 people, adding to pressure on Kyiv as it faces repeated attacks on civilian areas.Ukraine, meanwhile, has continued expanding its use of long-range drones to strike targets deep inside Russia. Ukrainian drones hit a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, in Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, more than 2,000km from the countries’ border.Wildberries said the warehouse caught fire but most of the goods inside were not damaged. Regional Governor Denis Pasler said three drones struck the roof, while Kremlin representative Artyom Zhoga said around 800 people were evacuated and there were no casualties.Ukraine has increasingly targeted facilities far from the front line, including sites in the Urals and western Siberia. Kyiv has sought to use its growing drone capabilities to disrupt Russia’s military infrastructure and demonstrate that distant parts of the country are also vulnerable.At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for greater development of Ukrainian weapons, particularly air-defence systems capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.Zelenskyy said on Thursday that 10 European countries were involved in a joint programme to develop an anti-ballistic missile shield. He said Ukraine could produce missiles and launchers, while partner countries would provide components such as radars and sensors.Ukraine is also working on its own ballistic missiles for strikes against Russia. Zelenskyy said initial tests had shown “strong potential” and called for the programme to be turned into an operational weapon.On the eastern front, Ukrainian forces remain under pressure as Russian troops seek to make gains in the Donetsk region. More than 800 people, including 91 children, were evacuated from areas of Donetsk over a 24-hour period, regional authorities said.The exchange of aerial attacks continued overnight. Russia said its air defences had destroyed 203 Ukrainian drones, while Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 147 long-range strike drones.