By At least 47 individuals, among them five children, were injured on Sunday during a Russian missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to Rescue 1122 officials.
The assault began around 1:00 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT) and targeted a shopping mall and a major sports center in the northeastern districts of Saltivskyi and Nemyshlianskyi, located near the Russian border. Ukrainian authorities reported that Iskander missiles were used in the attack.
Among the injured were seven children, the youngest being just three months old. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that several victims are in critical condition. He also noted that emergency responders and ambulances arriving at the scene came under additional fire, describing the attack as a “cynical repeat strike on our city” that left medical personnel wounded.
This incident follows a deadly attack earlier in the week when Russian forces struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, resulting in at least seven deaths and numerous injuries.
In response to the latest attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his appeal to Western allies for permission to utilize their weapons for deeper strikes inside Russian territory. He argued that such capabilities are necessary to effectively diminish Russia’s military threat and stop ongoing aggression.
“All the necessary forces of the world must be brought in to stop this terror,” Zelenskyy stated on his Telegram channel, emphasizing the need for international support and courage from global leaders to provide Ukraine with adequate defensive resources.
The missile strikes occurred just hours after Russia claimed to have intercepted more than 150 Ukrainian drones in what it described as a “massive” attack over its territory.
Over the past week, Russia has intensified its aerial assaults across Ukraine, heavily targeting the nation’s energy infrastructure. Despite Moscow’s assertions that it does not target civilians and that disrupting Ukraine’s energy system is a legitimate military objective, these attacks have resulted in significant civilian casualties since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
President Zelenskyy reported that in the last week alone, Russia deployed 160 missiles, 780 guided aerial bombs, and 400 attack drones against various targets in Ukraine. He called for decisive actions including long-range strikes on Russian missile launch sites, the destruction of military logistics, and collaborative efforts to intercept incoming missiles and drones.
The international community continues to monitor the escalating conflict, with ongoing discussions about providing Ukraine with enhanced defensive and offensive capabilities to protect its sovereignty and civilian population.
