Kharkiv under fire: Drone attack leaves seven dead, including children

Oleh Synehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, reported that the attack occurred late Friday, targeting civilian infrastructure and igniting several significant fires. The assault damaged over 15 homes in Kharkiv's eastern part.

Synehubov disclosed via the Telegram messaging app, "The strikes claimed seven lives, including three children aged seven, four, and a six-month-old baby." Additionally, three individuals suffered injuries in the attack.

The Ukrainian Air Force successfully intercepted 23 of the 31 drones launched by Russia, aimed at both the northeast's Kharkiv region and the southern Odesa region. Oleksandr Filchakov, head of Kharkiv's local prosecutor's office, revealed that three drones struck a petrol station in the city's Nemyshlianskyi district, causing a significant fire due to the large amount of fuel present.

Emergency services worked tirelessly overnight to manage the aftermath of the strike, extinguishing the fires and clearing debris. Moreover, Synehubov mentioned a drone strike on a restaurant in Velykyi Berluk, a small town approximately 100 kilometers from Kharkiv, which fortunately did not result in any casualties.

While Reuters could not independently verify the details of the attack, Russia has yet to comment but has previously stated it does not intentionally target civilian locations. Kharkiv has faced regular attacks since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with recent weeks seeing a surge in Russian military aggression. In a separate incident in the Black Sea port of Odesa, a drone strike injured one person, as reported by the regional governor.