Death Toll Rises to 14 After Russian Airstrike on Ukraine’s Kharkiv Hypermarket
KYIV — Tragedy struck Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, as the death toll from a Russian airstrike on a hypermarket climbed to 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.
In a video speech recorded at the site of a local printing house that was also destroyed in a recent missile strike, President Zelenskyy revealed the grim news. The attack took place as Ukrainian forces fought to defend the area 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of the city, while Russian forces prepared for another offensive approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of Kharkiv.
The unfolding conflict’s gravity and wider implications for regional stability were underscored by President Zelenskyy, emphasizing the urgent need for international intervention to halt the ongoing war. He specifically mentioned the upcoming peace summit scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland as a crucial opportunity to address the crisis.
Zelenskyy extended an invitation to leaders from the United States and China to participate in the summit, emphasizing the need for genuine commitment to resolving the conflict rather than relying on temporary ceasefires that are often violated by Russian forces.
Following a new front opening in the Kharkiv region on May 10, when Russian forces attempted to breach Ukraine’s defenses, clashes have intensified, particularly near Vovchansk, approximately 74 kilometers (45 miles) from Kharkiv. Russia claims to have captured multiple border settlements in recent offensives in Kharkiv and Donetsk, while Ukrainian authorities have warned of potential similar assaults in the northeastern Sumy region, though Moscow has not confirmed these claims. — Agencies
