Russian Drone Attack Kills Six in Kharkiv
KYIV — The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been left reeling after a deadly Russian drone attack claimed the lives of at least six people, according to local officials.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov revealed that Iranian-made Shahed drones targeted several buildings, including apartment blocks, in the early hours of Saturday. The attacks have been escalating in Kharkiv, the city closest to the Russian border, in recent weeks.
Speculations have arisen among Ukrainian officials that Kharkiv may become the focal point of a future Russian offensive.
Expressing his outrage, Terekhov denounced Russia as a “terrorist state” in a message on the Telegram app, following the assault on the peaceful residents of Kharkiv.
The local prosecutor’s office reported that at least 11 individuals sustained injuries in the strike on the residential Shevchenkivskyi district. The attack caused damage to high-rise buildings, administrative structures, dormitories, a kindergarten, shops, cafes, and vehicles.
Unverified images released by Ukrainian authorities depicted the chaotic aftermath of the assault, with damaged and burning structures visible. Local law enforcement stated that Moscow launched two missiles, followed by continuous shelling and drone attacks during the rescue efforts.
Volodymyr Tymoshko, a member of the local police force, recounted on social media how the enemy drones arrived at the scene while emergency services were aiding the victims of the missile strike.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has endured severe destruction from Russian airstrikes since President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Polish officials reported dispatching fighter jets in response to the recent missile attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, authorities in Kyiv activated air defenses to fend off potential assaults on the capital.
Ukraine’s military confirmed that their air defenses successfully intercepted 28 out of 32 hostile drones and three out of six missiles launched by Russia.
Earlier in the week, Russian forces unleashed drone strikes on Kharkiv, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals as per Ukrainian sources. The following day, Russian missile strikes in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia led to four fatalities and over 20 injuries. — BBC
