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Three people were killed and 21 injured in a major Russian drone strike on Ukraine’s Kharkiv city. The attack destroyed residential buildings and comes amid rising tensions and fresh escalations across the war front.
At least three people were killed and 21 injured when a Russian drone strike hit the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Saturday. Ukrainian officials said the attack targeted residential buildings and industrial areas, leaving many structures heavily damaged.
The strike was part of a wider overnight assault by Russia involving over 400 drones and multiple missiles across several Ukrainian regions, according to the Ukrainian military.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X, "Today, rescue and emergency operations continued all day across various regions and cities of our country..."
“Over 400 drones, more than 40 missiles were launched by the Russians. 80 people were injured, and some may still be under the debris. And unfortunately, not everyone in the world condemns such attacks. This is exactly what Putin exploits. He is buying himself time to keep waging war,” he added.
In his post, Zelenskyy also wrote, “The Russians constantly try to drive wedges into the unity of the world in order to prevent stronger pressure for their war. We must clearly see the task at hand. Diplomacy must work, security guarantees must be ensured, and peace must be established. For that, initial steps are needed, particularly a ceasefire. Pressure must be applied on Russia to make that happen and to stop the attacks.”
Massive assault with Shahed drones and glide bombs
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the strike damaged 18 apartment blocks and 13 private homes, while a civilian industrial site caught fire. The mayor confirmed the use of 48 Shahed drones, two missiles, and four aerial glide bombs in the attack. These glide bombs, in particular, have made recent Russian offensives deadlier and harder to defend against.
Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov added that people could still be trapped beneath the rubble and that rescue teams were working at multiple locations.
Wider attacks across Ukraine
While Ukraine's Kharkiv was the worst-hit, other regions also came under fire. According to official reports, Russia launched a total of 206 drones, 2 ballistic missiles, and 7 other missiles in a coordinated attack across the country.
Ukraine’s air defense units shot down 87 drones, and another 80 were either deflected by electronic warfare systems or were non-lethal decoys. Despite these efforts, the strikes caused significant damage in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Lutsk, and Ternopil, leaving at least five more people dead and 80 injured.
Russia claims retaliation; Ukraine accuses war crimes
Russia described the strikes as a response to Ukraine’s recent drone attacks on Russian military airfields. The Kremlin said it targeted only military infrastructure and accused Kyiv of carrying out “terrorist acts.”
Ukrainian authorities strongly denied this, saying the majority of Russian strikes hit residential neighborhoods, and accused Moscow of violating international law and targeting civilians.
Trump comments spark concern
The attack came shortly after US President Donald Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned him of retaliation following Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian airbases.
Trump also remarked it might be best to “let them fight for a while” before trying to negotiate peace. The comments marked a shift from his earlier calls to end the war quickly and have raised questions about how US foreign policy might change under his leadership.
Conflict intensifies as peace hopes fade
With the scale of recent attacks and rising casualties, hopes for peace in the now three-year-old war are quickly fading. Both sides continue to escalate, and international calls for diplomacy are being drowned out by the sound of air raid sirens and drone engines.
As civilians bear the brunt of the violence, Ukraine has again appealed for more international support, including air defense systems, to protect its cities and people from further Russian attacks.
