Ukraine issues nationwide air alert, warns of inbound cruise missiles

Ukrainian authorities issued air raid alerts for the entire country Wednesday, as Kyiv's air force warned of incoming cruise missiles.

"Kryvyi Rig -- take cover! A missile from the south is heading in your direction!" Ukraine's air force said in a post on Telegram, referring to central Ukrainian city.

It also warned of missiles headed towards the northern Chernigiv region, central Poltava region, and southern Mykolaiv region.

A "group of cruise missiles" was also headed in the direction of the capital Kyiv, it said.

The warnings come a day after Ukraine said it carried out its largest aerial attack on Russian territory of the nearly three-year war, hitting factories and energy hubs hundreds of kilometres from the frontline.

The Russian military accused Kyiv of using US- and British-supplied missiles for one of the strikes and promised it would "not go unanswered".