Russian strikes on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv have caused significant damage to high-rise apartment buildings, wounding at least 21 people in the second consecutive nighttime attack, authorities reported. The strikes hit the Shevchenkivsky district, north of Kharkiv’s center, on Saturday night. The local governor, Oleh Syniehubov, confirmed that buildings, including 16- and nine-story structures, sustained heavy damage. Kharkiv’s city council reported that 18 buildings were affected.
Among the wounded were an 8-year-old child and other residents, with 60 people evacuated from a directly hit high-rise. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, confirmed the evacuations.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has been a frequent target since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. This latest strike follows Friday’s airstrikes, which left 15 people, including children, injured.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that KAB-type aerial glide bombs were used in both attacks, causing widespread destruction.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks and called for Western allies to send more weapons to help defend Ukraine. “Ukraine needs full long-range capabilities, and we are working to convince our partners of this,” Zelenskyy said as he prepared for meetings in the U.S. to bolster support.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov revealed that Kyiv is in talks to acquire Swedish Gripen and European Eurofighter Typhoon jets. Commitments have already been made for U.S.-made F-16s and French Mirages.
Additionally, Russia launched 80 Shahed drones and two missiles overnight, with Ukrainian forces successfully shooting down 71 drones. In other attacks, a 12-year-old girl and a woman were killed in Nikopol after a Russian drone hit their car, and two others, including a 4-year-old child, were injured.
Further south, Russian strikes targeted homes in Sloviansk and a mine near Pokrovsk, killing two miners and injuring several others.
In the Sumy region, 10,000 residents have evacuated due to intensified Russian shelling near the border. The Ukrainian military aims to create a buffer zone to prevent cross-border attacks.
Meanwhile, in Russia’s Belgorod region, Ukrainian shelling wounded at least 12 people, including local officials and members of a self-defense force.