Russia Launches Biggest Drone Strike On Ukraine’s Second City

Russia yesterday hit Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, with a massive drone and bomber attack, killing four people and injuring nearly 60, officials said.

Two people were also killed in Russian strikes on Kherson, southern Ukraine, local authorities said.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 48 drones, two missiles and four glide bombs, had been used against his city on Friday night, while more glide bombs were reportedly dropped yesterday.

Earlier, Moscow said a massive wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine on Thursday night was in response to “terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime”, after attacks on Russian railway infrastructure and air bases last weekend.

In another development, Russian and Ukrainian officials released conflicting accounts about when a prisoner swap agreed at earlier talks would happen.

In Kharkiv, some 18 apartment buildings and 13 other homes were hit on Friday night, the mayor said. A baby and a 14-year-old girl were among the injured, he added.

One civilian industrial facility was attacked by 40 drones, one missile and four bombs, Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said, adding that there might still be people buried under the rubble.

In the later Russian attack using glide bombs on Kharkiv on Saturday evening, one more person was killed and at least another 18 people injured, the city’s mayor said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urged allies to increase pressure on Moscow and to take “more steps to strengthen Ukraine” in response to Russia’s latest attacks.

Six people were killed and 80 injured across Ukraine on Thursday night, when Russia attacked the country with more than 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles. (BBC)