India, Dec. 27 -- Several powerful explosions rocked Kyiv on Saturday, with air defences in operation and the military warning of the impending deployment of missiles.

"Explosions in the capital. Air defence forces are operating. Stay in shelters!" AFP quoted Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko as saying on Telegram.

Ukraine's air force also announced a countrywide air alert in the early hours of Saturday. According to a Reuters report, a military Telegram channel said cruise and ballistic missiles were being deployed.

The attack comes just ahead of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump on Sunday in Florida to discuss the end of the war between Kyiv and Moscow.

Zelensky is expected to discuss...