KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian forces on Thursday launched massive missile strikes on Ukraines Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, areas that havent been targeted in weeks, while Ukrainian officials announced an operation to liberate an occupied region in the countrys south.

Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said on Telegram that a settlement in the Vyshgorod district of the region was targeted early on Thursday morning; an infrastructure object was hit. It wasnt immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Chernihiv governor Vyacheslav Chaus at the same time reported that multiple missiles were fired from the territory of Belarus at the Honcharivska community.