Nova Poshta terminal and children's medical facility damaged as Russian attack kills 4, injures 6 in Kharkiv outskirts
Editor's note: This story was updated to include comments from Nova Poshta.
Russian forces carried out a combined missile and drone attack on the city of Kharkiv and its outskirts, killing four employees of a Ukrainian parcel delivery company and injuring six others, regional authorities reported on Jan. 13.
The attack destroyed a cargo hub belonging to Nova Poshta, the country's largest private postal service, and damaged a sorting center, affecting 2,245 parcels.
A 23-year-old man was among the four Nova Poshta employees killed in the strike, which also injured four workers, the company said.
In a separate attack on the same day, a Shahed drone struck a children’s medical facility within the city of Kharkiv, sparking a fire, authorities said.
Located just about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border and the nearest front line, Kharkiv endures regular Russian strikes.
"Russia once again committed a deliberate attack against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure," a Nova Poshta spokesperson told the Kyiv Independent on Jan. 14.
The company has since established another logistics setup to keep deliveries flowing to Kharkiv and the region. It plans to rebuild the hub, but only after assessing the security situation and receiving recommendations from authorities.
"The safety of our people remains an absolute priority," the spokesperson said.
Russia frequently targets Ukrainian businesses, particularly key players in the country’s economy like Nova Poshta. The company makes over 1.5 million deliveries across Ukraine every day, with civilians, soldiers, and humanitarians relying on its extensive logistics network.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the company has lost 26 employees to Russian attacks, including 18 in direct strikes on its facilities. Over 400 of its branches and terminals have been damaged or destroyed, costing the company Hr 1.1 billion ($25 million) in rebuilding costs.
"We have experience restoring our facilities quickly under any circumstances," the company said.
"This approach ensures the continuity of operations and delivery services even in the most challenging conditions."
