Eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv struck by Russian drones and missiles
At least three people were killed and 21 others wounded on Saturday when Russian forces launched a major drone and missile assault on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to local officials. The attack, part of a sustained pattern of large-scale bombardments, also involved the use of aerial glide bombs—a weapon increasingly employed by Moscow in its intensified military campaign during the third year of the war.
The escalation in Russian strikes in recent weeks has further eroded any remaining optimism for a potential peace agreement between the two sides. Hopes were dealt another blow after Ukraine carried out a bold drone operation targeting military airfields deep inside Russian territory, dealing a symbolic setback to the Kremlin.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported on X that multiple regions across the country—including Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and the western city of Ternopil—were also targeted in the wave of Russian strikes.
"To put an end to Russia's killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine. Russia is a terrorist state, and it must be called such. It has already done more than enough to earn this title," wrote Sybiha.
Moscow has yet to issue a statement regarding the latest strikes.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov described the attack as "the most powerful" the city has endured since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. He noted that the strikes caused extensive damage, hitting 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes.
According to Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov, the assault involved three missiles, five aerial glide bombs, and 48 drones, targeting two districts of the city. Among the wounded were two children: a six-week-old infant and a 14-year-old girl.
The assault on Kharkiv came just a day after one of Russia’s most intense barrages in recent months, which struck six Ukrainian regions. That wave of attacks killed at least six people and injured around 80, including three emergency workers in Kyiv, one civilian in Lutsk, and two in Chernihiv.
