Zelenskyy says he's cutting short visit to South Africa

Russia attacked Kyiv with an hours-long barrage of missiles and drones, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 70 in its deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital since last July and just as peace efforts are coming to a head.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the attack he is cutting short his official trip to South Africa and returning home as the city reeled from the bombardment that kept residents on edge for about 11 hours. It appeared to be Russia's biggest attack on Kyiv in nine months, and Zelenskyy branded it as "one of (Russia's) most outrageous".

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko announced that Friday would be an official day of mourning day in the capital.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 66 ballistic and cruise missiles, four plane-launched air-to-surface missiles, and 145 Shahed and decoy drones at Kyiv and four other regions of Ukraine.

Rescue workers with flashlights scoured the charred rubble of partly collapsed homes as the blue lights of emergency vehicles lit up the dark city streets.

The attack came as weeks of peace negotiations appeared to be culminating without an agreement in sight and hours after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the "killing field" by refusing to surrender the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula as part of a possible deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday he will cut short an official visit to South Africa because of the Russian attack on Kyiv overnight.

Zelenskyy still held a planned meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria but said on his Telegram page that he would return home after that.

Ramaphosa greeted Zelenskyy on the steps of the Union Buildings and they shook hands and briefly posed for photographs before going inside. Zelenskyy arrived in South Africa late Wednesday night.