Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 54, including children

Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv on June 22, killing at least three and injuring at least 54 people, local authorities reported.

Moscow has recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

The sounds of explosions were reported as of around 3:15 p.m. local time. The Russian military carried out four strikes against the city, targeting a residential area, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Russian forces used glide bombs in the attack, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Three glide bombs hit an enterprise in the Kholodnohirskyi district, and another one struck a five-story residential building in the Osnovianskyi district. The attack was reportedly launched from Belgorod Oblast, the regional prosecutor's office reported.

At least 3 people were killed, while 29 were injured as of 5 p.m. local time, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The regional prosecutor's office later revised the number of injured up to 41 at 7:45 p.m. local time.

Two of the injured were children, girls aged 12 and 13. Six of the injured were in a serious condition.

It added those killed were two men and a 41-year-old woman.

At 9:30 p.m. local time, Syniehubov said the number of injured had reached 54.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted to the attack, saying that "the Russian terror with guided aerial bombs must be stopped and can be stopped."

"We need strong decisions from our partners so that we can destroy Russian terrorists and Russian combat aircraft where they are," Zelensky said.

"We have already proved that it is possible to protect people and lives from missile terror, in particular by clearing the border areas of terrorists' launchers. We also need to protect (people) against bombs. We need this determination (in actions)."

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The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell