Ukraine: 10 Killed in Overnight Strikes, Zelenskyy Condemns Attacks
Russian Missile Strike Kills At Least 10 in Kharkiv, Ukraine
A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Saturday, , killed at least 10 people, including two children, Ukrainian officials said. The attack, which targeted a residential apartment building, prompted condemnation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called for an international response.
The strike brought down an entire entrance section of a five-story building, trapping residents under the rubble, according to reports from the Kyiv Post. Emergency crews continued searching for survivors on Saturday, with authorities warning that more people may still be trapped.
Among those killed were a primary school teacher and her son, a second-grade student, as well as a 13-year-old girl and her mother, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Sixteen others were wounded in the attack.
“When we arrived here 20 minutes after the explosion, I thought I was going to have a stroke. I couldn’t string two words together, and my legs were buckling,” Hanna, a resident of the destroyed building, told Reuters.
President Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces launched a total of 29 missiles and 480 drones overnight, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions. He reported damage across at least seven locations nationwide. Ukrainian air defense systems reportedly downed 19 missiles and 453 drones.
“There should be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram app. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support should continue,” he added, urging continued air defense and weapons supplies from international partners.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office indicated preliminary findings suggest Russia deployed the Izdeliye-30 cruise missile in the strike. A war crimes investigation has been opened.
The attack on Kharkiv was part of a broader overnight assault, with President Zelenskyy describing the strikes as “savage.” He later described the strike as “horrific” in his nightly video address, noting that rescue crews, including specialists from other regions, were still working to clear rubble and search for bodies.
Ukrainian air defence units shot down 453 drones and 19 missiles, but nine missiles and 26 attack drones still hit 22 sites, according to the air force.