KYIV - Ukraine said Russia had unleashed a new barrage of missiles on Monday, and air alerts blared in many parts of the country.

Sirens sounded in the capital Kyiv and across much of Ukraine in what officials described as the latest in a wave of Russian missile strikes.

"Missile have already been launched," air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.

There was no immediate word of any damage or casualties.

"Don't ignore the alarm," said Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential staff.

Russian forces have increasingly targeted Ukrainian energy facilities in recent weeks as they faced setbacks on the battlefield, causing major power outages as winter sets in.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Editing by Timothy Heritage)