Russia has also started to launch fake drones, without any explosives, to confuse Ukraine’s air defence units and force them to waste ammunition. Compared to missiles they are much cheaper to build, easier to fire, and designed to sap morale.

Russia launched a new barrage of drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Friday, killing one civilian and wounding more than 30 people in the centre, south, and northeast of the country, Ukrainian officials said.

The report comes as Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 51 drones, and the southern Odesa Oblast was the "epicenter."

Major General Pavel Klimenko, 47, headed the Fifth Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. It is believed he was killed in a missile strike as he rode a motorbike. He is reported to have run torture camps used on dissenting Russian soldiers and pro-Moscow agents who refuse orders.

Up to six enemy aircraft carrying Kh-101 missiles took off from Olenegorsk air base in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast and approached the missile launch site over the Caspian Sea at about 5 a.m. EET. The launched missiles were heading toward Chernihiv,