Russia-Ukraine war: Air defenses fend off attack near Kyiv

Ukrainian air defence crews destroyed 15 out of 18 missiles launched by Russian forces in the early hours of Monday morning, the military said, 

Air raid sirens also sounded across the country, and authorities warned residents to take shelter.

"Around 2:30 a.m. (2330 GMT), the Russian invaders attacked Ukraine from strategic aviation planes," a post on the Telegram channel of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, read. 

Kyiv's city officials wrote on the Telegram messaging app that all missiles directed at the capital were destroyed in what they said was the second attack on the city in three days.

Russia has also launched missiles at other Ukrainian regions overnight, including on Dnipropetrovsk, Mykola Lukashuk, the head of the Dnipro region council, said. Air defence crews shot down seven missiles, but 25 people sought medical help.

The eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad was struck twice overnight, and an industrial enterprise, 19 apartment buildings and 25 private buildings, among others, were damaged or destroyed, he added.

Meanwhile, Russian artillery strikes killed one person and wounded three others in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, a regional official said.

"Over the past day, the enemy carried out 39 shellings, firing 163 shells from heavy artillery, Grads, UAVs and aviation. The enemy shelled the city of Kherson 8 times," said Oleksandr Prokudin, of the military administration for Kherson.

"As a result of Russian aggression, one person died and three others, including a child, were injured," he added.

The latest attempted strikes come just days after Russia launched several missiles at targets across Ukraine, killing at least 23 people.

Here are some of the other headlines concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, May 1:

Pope hints at secret Vatican peace 'mission'

Pope Francis said the Vatican is willing to help facilitate the return of Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia during the war.

He also said the Catholic Church was involved in a mission to secure peace in Ukraine.

"I'm available to do anything," Francis told reporters while flying back from a trip to Hungary on Sunday.

"There's a mission that's not public that's underway; when it's public I'll talk about it," the pope said, without providing further details.

Francis said though that he was willing to do "all that is humanly possible" to reunite families.

Russia has been accused of war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine to Russia. Moscow has denied any wrongdoing, saying children were moved for their safety.

Zelenskyy discusses weapons package with Macron

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Sunday about new weapons and ammunition deliveries.

"It is very important that Russia receives stronger and stronger signals that the world will not forgive Russia's terror," he said in his nightly video message.

He did not provide further details on the package.

Zelenskyy and Macron discussed a new weapons package as Ukrainian forces prepare to launch a counteroffensive against Russian troops.

He added that Kyiv and its international partners must remain united to "protect our shared values" and ensure that the war is not prolonged.,

He thanked several countries, including Denmark, Slovenia, Germany and Spain, for providing howitzers and armed vehicles, along with planned deliveries of grenades.

Kyiv said Crimea drone strike was preparation for counterattack

A Ukrainian military spokesperson said a drone attack on a Russian fuel depot in Crimea was part of preparations for its planned spring counteroffensive.

"Destruction of enemy logistics is one of the preparatory elements for the powerful actions of our defense forces, which we have been talking about for a long time," a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army's Southern Command said on television on Sunday.

"And this work is preparing for the large-scale offensive that everyone is waiting for," said spokeswoman Nataliya Gumenyuk.

As a result of the strike on Saturday, a large Russian fuel depot caught fire in the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea.

The Ukrainian government has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but the military intelligence service said similar blasts would continue.