Kharkiv Under Attack: Deadly Airstrikes Escalate Tensions in Ukraine

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has become a major target of Russian strikes as the conflict between the two countries intensifies.

A deadly attack on Friday killed at least seven people, including a 14-year-old girl, and injured 59 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

The head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleg Sinegubov, stated that the Russian attack involved five guided aerial bombs, also known as "glide bombs." These bombs, launched from aircrafts in Russia’s Belgorod region, are fitted with navigation systems that guide them precisely to their targets. Sinegubov reported that five different locations in the city, which had a pre-war population of around 1.4 million people, were hit.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that one of the bombs struck a 12-story apartment building in the Industrial District. The explosion set the building on fire and trapped at least one person on an upper floor. Emergency crews have been working tirelessly to rescue survivors despite growing fears that the building may collapse. The attack also hit a children’s playground in the same district, killing a young girl on the spot.

“In the Nemyshlyansky district, the occupiers killed a child right on the playground,” Terekhov said. “At least three more people in the area are wounded. There are already two dead in the burning high-rise building in the Industrial district.”

The mayor also mentioned that preliminary reports suggest a strike in the Nemyshlyansky district, though no casualties have been reported in the city center. However, search operations continue in the affected areas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly condemned the attack, urging Western allies to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons to defend against future strikes.

“The Russian strike on Kharkiv is simply against people, against ordinary houses,” Zelensky said in a message on his Telegram channel. He emphasized that if Ukraine had the capability to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases, such attacks could be prevented. “We need strong decisions from our partners to stop this terror,” he added.

Kharkiv, located just 19 miles from the Russian border, has been a prime target since the full-scale war began in February 2022. The city has endured countless attacks due to its proximity to Russia, with strikes carried out using guided bombs, missiles, drones, and other weapons.

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, with a major assault by land, air, and sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the attack as a “special military operation,” claiming it was necessary to protect the people in two self-proclaimed separatist regions of Ukraine. However, Ukraine’s strong resistance, supported by civilians, thwarted Russia’s initial attempts to take over the country quickly.

This war stems from conflict dating back to 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatist movements in Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Since then, Russia and Ukraine have been locked in an escalating conflict.