A Russian drone strike on a residential apartment building in Kharkiv left five people dead and more than a dozen others injured early Monday, Ukrainian authorities confirmed.
The attack, which happened just before dawn, targeted a five-storey apartment block, tearing down part of the structure and setting multiple floors ablaze, according to the regional governor, Oleg Synegubov, who shared updates via Telegram. He noted that four drones were launched at the building.
Ukraine’s state emergency service released footage showing rescuers working frantically to break through rubble in search of survivors. Another clip captured flames engulfing one of the building’s floors.
“Five people were killed, including a girl aged about one-and-a-half years old,” Ukraine’s prosecution service stated. It added that “at least 18 people were wounded and suffered acute shock, including children.”
Earlier in the night, Kharkiv had also come under attack from a ballistic missile, which wounded at least 11 people, Mayor Igor Terekhov reported.
In addition to the Kharkiv strike, the southern Odesa region was hit by Russian drones, sparking a fire at a fuel facility, regional governor Oleg Kiper said.
The wave of assaults came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to meet with European allies in Washington for discussions on ending the war, now stretching into its fourth year.
Ahead of Zelensky’s visit, US President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine would not be able to reclaim Crimea or gain NATO membership under any potential peace deal. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, remains a focal point of contention. Zelensky has consistently rejected calls to concede the territory.
Meanwhile, Russia, which has been gaining ground on the battlefield, has floated a proposal that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region in exchange for freezing the frontline in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where key cities are still under Kyiv’s control.
What you should know
The Kharkiv drone strike highlights the intensifying pressure on Ukraine as Russia escalates its offensive. The attack not only claimed the life of a young child but also comes amid crucial international talks in Washington.
With Russia pushing for territorial concessions and Trump’s remarks casting doubt on Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, Zelensky faces mounting diplomatic and battlefield challenges.
