Reporters from Agence France-Presse (AFP) heard explosions in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as the city was targeted by two waves of missiles on Saturday, with sirens sounding just minutes after the first explosion.

Moscow has been carrying out regular missile and drone attacks on Kyiv since the start of its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.

However, Russia's use of hypersonic ballistic missiles in its recent attacks has posed a challenge to Ukrainian air defense systems.

This week, a missile explosion in the sky over Kyiv woke sleeping residents before the city's air raid sirens sounded.

Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv military administration, confirmed on Telegram that Russia 'is launching a missile attack on the capital,' calling on residents to 'stay in safe places.'

AFP observed at least five explosions early Saturday, followed by a second wave shortly after.

These attacks came a day after Ukraine launched drone strikes targeting oil refineries in southern Russia, as part of Kyiv's strategy to target Russian energy infrastructure.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he is setting up a separate command focused on strikes deep into Russia, and that he will also create new rapid response forces consisting of assault troops and drones.

Zelensky added in his evening address to the nation: 'This command should focus all its available resources on further reducing Russia's ability to wage war.'

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The Ukrainian General Staff said on Friday that Ukraine struck oil refineries, a oil terminal, and a fuel depot inside Russia, as well as tankers in the Sea of Azov, indicating that Kyiv does not intend to ease its campaign targeting the Russian energy sector.

The General Staff added in a Telegram post that a fire broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, one of the largest refineries in southern Russia, and that the Ust-Luga oil refinery complex in the Leningrad region was also shelled.

The statement noted that an oil terminal and depot in the Rostov region were also hit, resulting in explosions and fires.

After the extensive Ukrainian campaign that lasted for months and targeted major Russian oil facilities and associated supply networks, Moscow was forced to ban diesel exports to ensure domestic market needs were met.

Two energy industry sources and calculations by Reuters reported that gasoline production in Russia has fallen to only about 65 percent of its usual level as a result of these attacks.

According to Robert Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian drone forces, his country also targeted 10 tankers in the Sea of Azov, part of attacks that damaged around 50 fuel transport ships this week, as Kyiv seeks to reduce fuel supplies to Russian forces and isolate Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.