KYIV: Russia attacked the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv at night and in the evening with drones, missiles and guided bombs, killing at least four people and injuring more than 60, including a baby, local officials said on Saturday.
One of Ukraine’s largest cities, Kharkiv is located just a few dozen kilometres from the Russian border and has been under constant Russian shelling during more than three years of war.
“Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war,” city mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said on the Telegram messenger early on Saturday.
Dozens of explosions were heard in the city through the night and Russian troops were striking simultaneously with missiles, drones and guided aerial bombs, he said.
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Multi-storey and private residential buildings, educational and infrastructure facilities were attacked, Terekhov noted.
Photos by local authorities and Reuters showed burnt and partially destroyed houses and vehicles, and of rescuers carrying those injured to safety and removing debris.
Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said that one of the city’s civilian industrial facilities was attacked by 40 drones, one missile and four bombs, causing a fire, adding there may still be people under the rubble.
In the evening, Russian aircraft once again attacked Kharkiv with guided bombs, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy called “another brutal murder”.
“It was a brutal blow to the city in broad daylight, and in fact, they have been attacking our city of Kharkiv for the entire day,” Zelenskiyy said in his evening statement.
“Last night, there was a massive drone strike on Kharkiv, and now there are aerial bombs. Dozens of people have been injured in the past 24 hours.” he said.
Russia launches major overnight attack on Kharkiv, killing two
The Ukrainian military said Russia launched 206 drones, two ballistic and seven other missiles against Ukraine overnight.
It said its air defence units shot down 87 drones while another 80 drones were lost – in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them – or they were drone simulators that did not carry warheads.
Ten locations were hit, the military said.
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