Russia admits ‘state of war’ amid strikes on Ukraine

Russia yesterday admitted two years into its invasion of Ukraine that it was "in a state of war," as it launched a massive wave of missile and drone attacks on its neighbour's territory.

Russia fired almost 90 missiles and more than 60 Iranian-designed kamikaze drones, damaging "dozens" of energy facilities, including power stations, in what Ukrainian officials said was an attempt to cripple the country's electricity and heating network.

At least three people were killed and more than 20 injured, according to the interior ministry and local officials.

"We are in a state of war," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview to a pro-Kremlin newspaper, published yesterday.

The admission marks an escalation in official language used to describe the conflict, which the Kremlin initially referred to as a "special military operation".