Russian forces launched a series of devastating attacks on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Saturday, killing at least four people and injuring more than two dozen, according to Ukrainian officials, as hopes for a peace settlement continue to fade.
The assault began with a drone-and-missile strike in the early hours, killing three people and wounding 21 others. Later that afternoon, aerial bombs hit the city center, killing one more person and injuring five others, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed.
The attacks also come amid escalating accusations between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides blaming each other for sabotaging a planned prisoner exchange, following Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russian military airfields deep within Russian territory.
Saturday’s offensive was part of a near-daily pattern of large-scale bombardments by Russia, now increasingly relying on aerial glide bombs, which have become a hallmark of its intensified campaign. Ukrainian air defenses reported shooting down 87 drones and seven missiles, out of 215 aerial threats launched overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Residents Caught in the Crossfire
Eyewitnesses in Kharkiv described scenes of terror and destruction. Resident Alina Belous recounted trying to save a girl trapped in a burning building using buckets of water.
“We tried to put it out ourselves with our neighbors until the firefighters arrived. The smoke was overwhelming. When the ceiling began to collapse, they got us out,” she said.
Another resident, Vadym Ihnachenko, said he initially thought the fire was in a neighboring building. “But when we saw sparks from the roof, we realized it was ours.”
Devastation Across Ukraine
The strikes destroyed or damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes, making it the most powerful attack on Kharkiv since the war began in February 2022, Mayor Terekhov said.
Kharkiv’s regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, confirmed that the city had been hit with three missiles, five aerial bombs, and 48 drones. Among the injured were a baby boy and a 14-year-old girl.
Rescue workers are continuing to search for at least six individuals trapped under rubble in an industrial building in the city’s Kyiv district, according to the local prosecutor’s office.
Other regions including Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Ternopil were also hit. In Dnipropetrovsk, two people were reported injured. Meanwhile, Russian officials said they shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, with two civilians injured by drone debris near Moscow.
International and Diplomatic Reactions
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized the need for increased international pressure on Moscow. “To stop Russia’s destruction and killing, we need stronger pressure and greater support for Ukraine,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed their strikes targeted military facilities such as ammunition depots, drone assembly plants, and weapon repair stations, but did not acknowledge civilian casualties in Kharkiv.
No Progress in Peace Talks
On Friday, Russia launched strikes on six Ukrainian regions, killing at least six people and injuring nearly 80, including emergency responders in Kyiv. Despite two rounds of peace negotiations under a U.S.-led diplomatic initiative, no major progress has been made. Both sides remain entrenched in their positions, with no clear path to ending the conflict.
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