A radio journalist was killed in overnight strikes after Russian forces targeted Kyiv while the United National secretary-general visited the Ukrainian capital. 

Vira Hyrych was in her home in Kyiv when the building was struck by a Russian missile on Thursday night. Her body was found early on Friday morning amid the wreckage.

The journalist worked for Radio Free Europe's (RFE) and Radio Liberty's (RL) Ukrainian service. 

A statement by RFE and RL President Jamie Fly read: "We are deeply saddened by the death of our Ukrainian Service staffer Vira Hyrych in Kyiv overnight.

"We have lost a dear colleague who will be remembered for her professionalism and dedication to our mission."

"We are shocked and angered by the senseless nature of her death at home in a country and city she loved. Her memory will inspire our work in Ukraine and beyond for years to come," he added.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to humiliate the United Nations as missiles battered Kyiv during a visit by secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

Ten people were wounded in the attack that struck the residential building, including at least one who lost a leg, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.

Russia's defence ministry claimed on Friday that it had destroyed "production buildings" at the Artem defence factory in an apparent reference to the same strike. 

The attack on Kyiv came barely an hour after a news conference with Mr Zelensky and Mr Guterres. 

The Herald:

“This says a lot about Russia’s true attitude towards global institutions, about attempts of Russian authorities to humiliate the UN and everything that the organisation represents,” Mr Zelensky said in an overnight video address to the nation.

“Therefore, it requires corresponding powerful reaction.”

Meanwhile, Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko blasted the attack as being the equivalent of Vladimir Putin showing the UN secretary-general "his middle finger". 

The strikes were the boldest Russian bombardment of the capital since Moscow’s forces retreated weeks ago following their failure to take the city in what they hoped would be a lightning offensive.

Instead, stiff Ukrainian resistance, bolstered by Western arms, stalled Mr Putin’s advance and forced his troops to pull back to regroup.

Some have now started to push into the country’s eastern industrial heartland of the Donbas, which Moscow now says is its focus.

One aim of Mr Guterres’ visit was to secure the evacuation of people from the ruined southern port city of Mariupol, including a shattered steelworks where Ukrainian defenders are holed up and hundreds of civilians are also sheltering.

Previous evacuation attempts have collapsed.

“I cannot confirm the exact details of the operation to make sure it is done with safety for our people and for civilians stranded in Mariupol,” said Saviano Abreu, a spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian office.

An official in Mr Zelensky’s office said negotiations were under way with UN mediation, and did not rule out an evacuation of the plant happening Friday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Mariupol has seen some of the most dramatic suffering of the war.

Under siege since the early days of the invasion, many of its residents became trapped with scarce access to food, water, medicine or electricity.

An estimated 100,000 people are believed to still be in the city, and the city council warned that a lack of safe drinking water or a working sewer system could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

It added that bodies lay decaying under the rubble.

Russian forces largely control the city, but some 2,000 Ukrainian fighters are holed up at the steel plant, the last known pocket of resistance.

About 1,000 civilians are with them, and the fighters said recent concentrated bombings killed and wounded people.