Ukrainian authorities issued an alert for a missile attack, and AFP journalists heard explosions across the capital.

"Kyiv is being attacked by enemy missiles," the city's military authorities said on Telegram.

Hours later, city mayor Vitali Klitschko said: "two people were killed in the capital".

"54 people were injured. 38 of them, including 6 children, were hospitalised," he said in a Telegram post.

In a bomb shelter set up in a basement of a residential building, over a dozen residents gathered after the air alert started, an AFP journalist witnessed.

Kyiv was last hit by missiles in early April when at least three people were wounded.

It has been the target of sporadic attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

In Ukraine's east, the city of Kharkiv was hit by seven missiles, city mayor Igor Terekhov said, adding later that "a massive drone attack" on the city was ongoing.

"Stay safe!" said Terekhov.

Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia was attacking Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities "with missiles and drones right now".

"Putin shows only a desire to kill," he said. "The attacks on civilians must stop."