94-year-old woman killed in Russian strike on high-rise in Kharkiv
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Editor's note: This is a developing story. It's being updated.
One woman, 94, was killed, and 42 people were injured in a Russian air strike that hit a 12-story apartment building in Kharkiv and caused a fire, authorities reported on Sept. 15.
Among the injured were three children, the youngest being one year old.
The rescue operation took several hours. When the fire was extinguished, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov announced that a woman was found dead at the 9th floor of the building.
Earlier, Kharkiv chief police investigator Serhii Bolvinov said that the search was ongoing for a 94-year-old immobile woman who was home alone as her family was out shopping. Her daughter has provided DNA to help identify the body, Bolvinov said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky shared photos of the damage on his Telegram channel, saying rescue operations were ongoing and that the fire had spread through the 9th through 12th floors.
Three children were injured in the attack: A four-year-old girl sustained a wound to her arm, a 12-year-old boy got stomach and chest injuries, and a one-year-old boy sustained a head wound and a blast injury.
The toll was rising throughout the day, with Syniehubov putting the initial estimate at 25 people, later raising it to 35, and finally, to 42. He said that at least three people were in serious condition. Twelve people were hospitalized.
According to Ihor Klymenko, interior affairs minister, one of the building's residents refused to evacuate without his dog, so the State Emergency Service workers rescued both the man and his pet from the smoke-filled apartment on the 12th floor.
The police set up an operational headquarters at the scene, with residents filing more than 30 reports of property damage, he said.
At least 1,500 windows and dozens of cars were damaged, according to Syniehubov.
Shortly before the reported strike, the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, warned that Russia had launched several KABs, or guided bombs.
