A nighttime Russian drone strike killed at least seven people, including three children, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, officials said.
On Saturday, Kharkiv Region Governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram that the attack hit at least 15 houses, causing massive fires and that the victims included three people aged 7, 4 and Children 6 months old.
Kharkiv, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian-Ukrainian border, is regularly hit by Russia’s winter long-range strikes, which often hit civilian areas.
On January 23, a barrage of missiles struck Kharkiv and two other Ukrainian cities in one of the heaviest bombings since the beginning of the year. Officials said about 5,000 windows in 222 buildings across the region were broken by the explosion and shock wave, killing at least 11 people.
It marked a “shocking reversal” from what the United Nations called a “shocking reversal” in the downward trend in civilian casualties caused by attacks in Moscow last year.
This pre-war city of 1.5 million people is Ukraine’s most vulnerable urban center. Russia lies to its north and east, with the border of the Moscow-annexed Luhansk region about 150 kilometers (90 miles) to the southeast.
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Russian forces have been trying to capture Kharkiv since the first days of a full-scale invasion in February 2022, sending armed personnel carriers virtually into the city center.
Moscow deploys strategic bombers, ballistic or cruise missiles, and Iranian or Russian-made drones to reach the city from across the border in just minutes.
Unlike the capital Kiev, which within months received advanced Western air defense systems, Kharkiv remains virtually defenseless. Residents and authorities must adapt quickly, as any delay means loss of life.
The Russian attack has Ukrainians on edge, but there has been little movement along the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) frontline. Neither side was able to make significant advances on the battlefield, causing the fighting to turn to trench warfare and artillery warfare.
Ukraine is struggling with ammunition and personnel, following the failure of last summer’s counteroffensive, while European allies are trying to ramp up their military production.
In an effort to change the status quo, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday appointed Alexander Sirsky as the new leader of Ukraine’s armed forces, the most serious change at the top of the military since the war began.
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2024-02-10 13:14:42