On September 24, Russian forces launched an attack on Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and injuring 31 others, according to local authorities. The attack, which occurred at around 3:30 p.m. local time, involved guided aerial bombs targeting densely populated areas, as reported by Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
The city’s four districts were under attack, with residential high-rise buildings sustaining damage in the Kyivskyi and Saltivskyi districts. Governor of Kharkiv Oblast Oleh Syniehubov stated that Russia used eight FAB-250 bombs and one FAB-500 bomb in the attack. One of the high-rise buildings was directly hit by a Russian strike, trapping people under the rubble.
Emergency services are currently conducting search and rescue operations at the scene, as reported by Syniehubov. Terekhov also mentioned that one of the buildings, which had previously been attacked at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, was almost fully repaired and prepared for the heating season before being struck again by Russian forces.
According to Terekhov, 82 people lived in the section of the building that sustained the most severe damage. Efforts are being made to contact all of them to determine if anyone is trapped under the rubble. In addition, a food industry enterprise was also hit by one of the strikes, as reported by Terekhov at around 5:30 p.m. local time.
The victims of the attack range from a 17-year-old girl to an 87-year-old woman, with the majority of the injured in moderate condition. However, four people are in serious condition and three are undergoing surgery as of 6 p.m. local time, according to Syniehubov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is currently attending the U.N. General Assembly‘s High-Level Week in New York, condemned the Russian attack on Kharkiv and called on allies to take action. “There is a lot of talk at the U.N. General Assembly about collective efforts for security and the future. But we just need to stop the terror. To have security. To have the future. We need Russia to stop this criminal and unprovoked aggression that violates all global rules,” Zelensky stated.
Kharkiv has been under constant attack by Russian forces for over two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The situation remains tense and urgent action is needed to protect the lives and safety of innocent civilians.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com