Russia has launched its “largest attack” on the city of Kharkiv since Putin began his invasion of Ukraine, killing at least three people and injuring 21 more.
The Kremlin used Aerial glide bombs in the attack, which came just a day after Putin bombarded Kyiv with a series of drone strikes.
“Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack in the entire time of the full-scale war,” said mayor Ihor Terekhov.
“As of this moment, at least 40 explosions have been heard in the city in an hour and a half,” he wrote at 2am.
“The enemy is simultaneously striking with missiles, ‘shaheeds’ [drones] and guided aerial bombs.”
At least 18 apartment buildings and 13 homes were damaged in the onslaught, the mayor added.
Russia has said this week’s attacks are in response to a Ukrainian assault on Russian bomber planes, which cost the Kremlin at least $7billion.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Defence, Russia said its forces attacked Ukraine in response to “terrorist acts”.
It read: “Tonight, in response to the terrorist acts of the Kyiv regime, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons, as well as attack UAVs, on design bureaus, enterprises for the production and repair of weapons and military equipment of Ukraine, workshops for the assembly of attack drones, training centres for flight personnel, as well as warehouses of weapons and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The goal of the strike was achieved. All designated objects were hit.”
Elsewhere, Vladimir Putin’s forces fired at least 15 drones and six missiles at the northwestern city of Lutsk, injuring five people.
On Thursday, Russia killed at least six people, including a baby, in strikes on the northern Ukrainian city of Pryluky.
The deadly attack came just hours after President Donald Trump shared a phone call with Putin, where the Russian leader vowed to take revenge for Ukraine’s recent attack on a Kremlin military base.
According to Trump, Putin told him that Russia would respond “very strongly” to a Ukrainian attack on its airfields over the weekend.
Ukraine targeted more than 40 stationary Russian bomber planes in a large-scale drone attack, which Zelenskyy celebrated as an ‘absolutely brilliant result’.117 drones were smuggled inside special containers on trucks before they were flown out of them, according to a Ukrainian government source.
The attack is understood to be a major breach of Russia’s natural defences, and will degrade the Russian military’s ability to strike Ukraine with missiles.
By Henry Moore
