Ukrainian authorities said that seven children were killed in an attack by Russia

Seven people, including two children, were killed in a Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine, local officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday that Russia was preparing for a “severe attack”, urging people to heed air raid alerts.

Early on Thursday, the Ukrainian military reported that it had shot down several missiles and drones around the country.

The attacks came after Zelenskiy met US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC this week and urged the US to allow Ukraine to produce the Patriot interceptor missiles.

Two girls, ages 5 and 12, were among six people killed when a ballistic missile hit a private home near the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, a local official said.

The official said that 8 more people, including two children, were injured and indicated that the death toll may increase.

One person died in Kyiv and a fire broke out in three non-residential buildings overnight, the capital’s mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, wrote on Telegram.

Explosions were also heard in Lviv, the city’s mayor Andriy Sadovy said, and residential buildings were damaged.