By A devastating Russian guided bomb attack on Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv has left seven people dead, including a 14-year-old girl, and injured at least 77 others, local authorities reported on Friday. The strike, which targeted a residential area, has once again highlighted the brutal impact of the ongoing conflict on civilian populations.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed via Telegram that the attack hit both a 12-story apartment building and a nearby playground. The residential block caught fire as a result of the strike, with one end of the building engulfed in black smoke and many upper floors in flames. The death toll climbed to seven when rescue workers recovered a woman’s body from the rubble.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his sorrow over the attack, particularly noting the death of the teenage girl. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that about 20 of the injured were in severe condition, underscoring the attack’s devastating impact.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos and destruction, with emergency services and rescue volunteers rushing to evacuate survivors from the burning building. Residents of all ages, some covered in blood, sat stunned outside as medics attended to their injuries. The body of one victim lay covered on the ground, surrounded by police.
Ukrainian authorities stated that Friday’s attack involved five aerial guided bombs, also known as “glide bombs,” launched from planes in Russia’s Belgorod region. These weapons, fitted with a navigation system, are notoriously difficult to intercept and have become a fearsome tool in the war in eastern Ukraine, capable of causing massive destruction.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has been a frequent target of Russian bombardment throughout the war. However, there had been a recent decrease in attack intensity, possibly related to a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
In response to the attack, President Zelenskyy renewed his call for Western allies to allow Ukraine to use long-range Western weapons to target Russian military air bases. “A strike … would not have happened if our defense forces had the ability to destroy Russian military aircraft where they are based,” Zelenskyy stated on Telegram. He argued that there is “no rational reason to restrict Ukraine’s defenses.”
Ukrainian officials maintain that the most effective way to counter such strikes is to target Russian planes at their bases, rather than attempting to intercept the bombs themselves. This stance highlights the ongoing debate over the nature and extent of Western military support for Ukraine.
The attack on Kharkiv comes as the war in Ukraine approaches its third year, with no clear end in sight. Russia continues to deny deliberately targeting civilians, despite thousands of civilian casualties since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
As rescue efforts continue in Kharkiv, this latest tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the war’s toll on civilian life and infrastructure. It also underscores the urgent need for enhanced air defense capabilities and international support to protect Ukrainian cities from such devastating attacks.
