At least four people were killed overnight and on Saturday morning as Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones and cruise missiles as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has further dampened hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than three-year-old war.

Hundreds of Russian attack drones and more than two dozen cruise missiles targeted Ukraine overnight, killing at least two people, Ukraine said.

Ukrainian air defence units shot down 25 missiles and 319 Shahed drones and jammed 258 other drones with electronic warfare, the air force said.