'Massive' ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's Kharkiv: mayor

A "massive missile attack" pummelled Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv, Mayor Igor Terekhov said on Wednesday morning.

"Kharkiv is under a massive missile attack. A series of explosions were heard in the city and there are still ballistic missiles heading towards the city," he wrote on Telegram.

The regional governor counted seven Russian strikes and said casualties were still being assessed.

Russia's defence ministry said Wednesday its forces had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight while the Ukrainian Air Force reported the launch of Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea, although it was not initially clear where they were headed.

Russia has accelerated its advance across eastern Ukraine in recent months, looking to secure as much territory as possible before US president-elect Donald Trump comes to power in January.

The Republican has promised to bring a swift end to the nearly three-year-long conflict, without proposing any concrete terms for a ceasefire or peace deal.

Moscow's army claims to have seized more than 190 Ukrainian settlements this year, with Kyiv struggling to hold the line in the face of man power and ammunition shortages.