At least three people killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine's Kharkiv and Odesa

Ukraine is desperately trying to fend off relentless Russian aerial attacks that have brought rolling blackouts across the country on the brink of winter.

At least three people have been killed and 11 others injured in an overnight Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian town of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region, local authorities said on Monday.The head of the regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said four girls aged 12, 14, 15 and 17 were among those injured.He added that the missiles struck residential high rise buildings and vehicles parked nearby.Balakliya, located 60 kilometres from the frontline, was captured by Russian forces soon after it launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, but was liberated in the autumn the same year.Russian forces have intensified their offensive in eastern Kharkiv in a renewed push there this year.Elsewhere, Russian drones attacked the Odesa region, damaging energy and port infrastructure in several cities, administration head Oleh Kiper wrote on Telegram.The attack sparked multiple fires and damaged an unspecified number of civilian vessels. One person was injured in the strikes, Kiper said.Ukraine's Air Force said Russia fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 128 strike and decoy drones across the country overnight.Air defences shot down and jammed 91 drones, while 32 others reached their targets.Ukraine is desperately trying to fend off relentless Russian aerial attacks that have brought rolling blackouts across the country on the brink of winter.Combined missile and drone strikes on the power grid have coincided with Ukraine's efforts to hold back a Russian battlefield push aimed at capturing the eastern stronghold of Pokrovsk.