Russia has been accused of obliterating a residential building in Ukraine as a “birthday gift” to Vladimir Putin, killing 18 civilians — including four children — as they slept.

The five-storey complex with 30 flats in Pryluky, Chernihiv, was among a dozen regions pounded by missiles coinciding with the Russian president’s 74th birthday on Wednesday (local time).

Ukraine President Volodymr Zelensky said the barrage of 70 missiles was “one of the most vile” attacks, aimed at striking “painfully and demonstratively”.

Zelensky accused Russia of striking “ordinary cities, ordinary life” in a “deliberate choice of terror”.

He named four children killed in the apartment as Oleksandr, Kyrylo, and Serhii, who were only one year old, and eight-year-old Maksym.

“As of now, 18 people have been reported killed,” he said.

“Dozens of people were injured, including seven children. All emergency services are involved and working at the site.

“Fifteen people were rescued, including one child. There are still people who have not yet been accounted for.”

A woman reacts outside the destroyed residential building in Pryluky. Photo: AAP

Ukraine had anticipated the overnight attack, with Zelensky warning the previous day that intelligence services had concluded that Russia was building up for a “massive” strike.

Although Ukraine knew about the looming attack, it could not fend it off completely.

The deaths and damage illustrated the difficulty Ukraine has in countering Russia’s ballistic missiles and the new jet-powered drones used in Moscow’s escalating bombardments.

Without ammunition for its US-made Patriot air defence systems, Ukraine cannot stop Russian ballistic weapons.

It is racing to develop a new generation of interceptors fast enough to catch Moscow’s high-flying jet-propelled drones.

Russia and Ukraine are engaged in a long-range aerial war as their armies remain largely deadlocked on the battlefield, more than four-and-a-half years after Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbour.

The unrelenting aerial attacks are hurting Russia but could be ruinous for smaller Ukraine.

Ukrainian rescuers look for survivors in the ruined flats. Photo: AAP

US-led peace efforts appear unlikely to bring any short-term relief, with the possibility of holding low-level technical talks still under discussion.

Putin, meanwhile, is pressing ahead with the invasion in the belief that Ukrainians will buckle under the pressure and Kyiv’s Western supporters will not stay the course, Western analysts say.

Ukraine is looking worldwide for available Patriot missiles, which are in short supply due to the Iran war.

“Russian ballistic missiles remain the greatest challenge. And air defence packages for us right now are a vital necessity,” Zelensky said.

In Kremenchuk, in the Poltava region, two people were killed and seven injured, said Vitalii Diakivnych, head of the regional military administration, and a rescue operation was continuing.

“That is exactly what the enemy is counting on. For us to be afraid to fall asleep. To let our children out of our sight. To plan anything. So that everyone thinks: next time it could be my address,” he said.

Russia’s defence ministry said the military carried out a massive strike overnight targeting industrial facilities involved in the production and storage of missiles and drones across Ukraine.

The ministry said that port and ship repair facilities in the southern Odesa region and ships carrying cargo for the Ukrainian military were also hit.

Ukraine has hit back at Russia by launching long-range drones and missiles at oil refineries and storage depots.

Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine targeted two oil facilities and a training ground in the Perm, Samara, and Astrakhan regions of Russia.

Russian officials made no immediate comment.

Zelensky also indicated that Ukraine had struck in the Black Sea.
He posted images of a fire said to show an oil tanker burning in the water near the Russian city of Sochi.

Unconfirmed media reports said it was carrying oil from Novorossiysk to India and was attacked by Ukrainian sea drones.

-with AAP