Russian missiles hit the second largest city in Ukrainein the northeast of the country, and They killed at least seven civilians early Thursday, authorities said, as kyiv’s army struggled to keep a intense cross-border offensive of the Kremlin’s larger and better-equipped forces.
At least 20 people were injured by the impact of S-300 missiles in the city of Kharkov, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. The explosions reverberated around the city of approximately one million inhabitants. The deaths occurred after the missiles hit a large printing press in the city.
The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky described the attack as “extremely cruel” and expressed again his frustration over not having received enough air defense systems of the country’s Western partners to avoid bombings after more than two years of relentless war.
The city of Kharkovcapital of the region of the same name, is about 20 kilometers from the Russian border. In recent weeks, Moscow’s troops have captured towns in the area as part of a broad offensive, and analysts say they could be trying to get within range of the city’s artillery.
The Russian push is emerging as the biggest test for Ukraine since full-scale invasion of Moscow in February 2022, with Ukrainian forces outnumbered and outgunned at several points along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line that snakes from north to south in eastern Ukraine.
Given the kyiv lacks air defenses and awaits more Western military supportwhich has just begun to arrive, the Ukrainian army has been forced to retreat at some points, while Russia was bombing its power grid and civilian areas. kyiv suffered new power outages on Thursday.
The Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kulebastated that the attacks underscore the “urgent” need for the country to have more Patriot systems American-made to defend its skies.
Germany recently promised one of the missile systems “but getting six more as soon as possible remains essential not only for the survival of Ukraine, but for peace in Europe”Kuleba wrote on social media platform X.
It is expected that The United States will announce additional military aid of $275 million on Friday for Ukraine, they told The Associated Press two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of the aid before the public announcement.
But no air defense systems appear to be included in the package containing high mobility artillery rocket systemseither HIMARSas well as essential 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds.
Zelensky pointed out that the main focuses of the latest fighting have been Kharkov and the neighboring region of Donetskwhere the defenders of Ukraine withdrew in February from the bastion of Avdiivka. For the Kremlin, gaining control of all of partially occupied Donetsk is a war priority.
At the same time, and in an apparent effort to stretch the depleted Ukrainian forces, Russian troops have carried out raids in the northern Sumy region.
Nearly 1,500 people, including 200 children, have been evacuated from the towns of Bilopillia and Vorozhbaaccording to the governor of the region, Volodymyr Artiukh.
“The main focus (of the fighting) is on the entire border area,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Wednesday.
In Liubotyna small town about 10 kilometers west of the city of Kharkiv, Russian missiles hit the city center, injuring eight civilians. In Derhachianother nearby town, 13 people were injured in another airstrike, according to authorities.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that his forces had taken control of the Andriivka settlementin Donetsk, which Ukrainian forces had held under their control since the bloody fighting in September that left the town in ruins.
Elsewhere in Donetsk, Russian forces claimed to have advanced in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar, Konstantinovka and Rozdolivka.
It was not possible to independently verify these claims. Recent Russian advances have been gradual.
Ukraine has also set its sights on regions on the other side of the Russian border.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that 35 rockets and three Ukrainian drones had been shot down over the Belgorod region. The governor of the region, Vyacheslav Gladkovsaid a drone hit a home and exploded after being shot down, killing a woman.
(With information from AP)
