Ukraine has issued a nationwide air alert after its military detected several Tu-95MS bombers taking off from a Russian base. The Ukrainian air force reported that missiles were heading towards the capital city, Kyiv, prompting the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, to confirm explosions and the activation of air defense systems. This use of Soviet-era bombers follows previous instances earlier this month and in January, further escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The situation is being closely monitored by international observers and diplomatic efforts are underway to de-escalate the situation.