Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said more than 200 sites were attacked, including 139 homes.
kyiv: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Wednesday that Russian missiles hit Ukraine's two largest cities, claiming 18 lives, injuring more than 130 and causing extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.
As Moscow's war against Ukraine approaches its third year, recent attacks targeted the eastern city of Kharkiv with three waves of devastation. In addition, the attacks affected kyiv, central Ukraine and the southern region of Kherson, which had already been subject to constant shelling.
In his late-night video address, Zelenskiy revealed that Russia employed nearly 40 missiles of different types in what he described as “another combined attack to try to bypass our air defense system.”
The impact was widespread, affecting more than 200 sites, including 139 homes. Particularly worrying was the loss of life in an ordinary apartment building where, as Zelenskiy stressed, “ordinary people lived there.”
Kharkiv, a city that is no stranger to the ravages of war, witnessed eight victims, according to the mayor and governor of the region. The aftermath showed scenes of search and rescue operations in a destroyed apartment building, with the danger of falling debris causing operations to be suspended before midnight.
Governor Oleh Synehubov highlighted the extensive damage and revealed that more than 100 high-rise blocks were affected in the initial attacks. The Ukrainian General Staff reported the destruction of 22 of 44 missiles, demonstrating the resilience of the country's armed forces to the attack.
The timing of these attacks coincided with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov's statement at an international ministerial meeting on Kiev's defense needs, where he highlighted Russia's intensification of missile attacks. Umerov revealed that in the last two months alone, Russian forces had deployed more than 600 missiles and more than 1,000 drones.
In response to the escalating crisis, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced Berlin's commitment to send six “Sea King” helicopters to Ukraine later this year, a significant step forward in international support.
In kyiv, emergency services reported 22 people, including four children, injured in several districts. The aftermath of the attacks unfolded with rescuers tending to victims amid debris and broken glass. The impact spread to damage near the United Nations office, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the attacks.
Although the Kremlin denies attacking civilians, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The regional governor of Kherson revealed sustained aerial bombardment throughout the day, resulting in casualties and damage to infrastructure.
