According to the regional leader, a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals and injuries to over a dozen more.
Oleg Sinegubov reported that two additional individuals are currently missing following the attack, during which Russian forces targeted Ukraine’s second-largest city approximately 15 times.
He advised residents of Kharkiv to remain in shelters for safety.
Ukraine’s state railway company disclosed that several of its facilities suffered damage in the assault, with a number of its employees sustaining injuries.
Earlier this month, Russian forces initiated a renewed offensive in the region with the aim of penetrating a weakened Ukrainian defensive line.
Mr. Sinegubov stated on Wednesday that fighting persisted near the towns of Pletenivka and Vovchansk, reassuring that Ukrainian forces maintained control in the area.
“This weakness is not ours, but the world’s, which has not dared to deal with terrorists in the way they deserve for three years,” he said in a post on X.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine remarked that the assaults on Kharkiv demonstrated Russia’s exploitation of Ukraine’s absence of air defense capabilities.
The delivery of US-manufactured surface-to-air missile systems faced delays due to disagreements in Congress regarding a multi-billion dollar aid package for Ukraine, which was only approved last month.
Mr. Zelensky has consistently urged for increased supplies of air defense missiles and the provision of modern fighter jets from Ukraine’s allies.
The conflict in the region has resulted in the displacement of approximately 14,000 individuals, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Jarno Habicht of the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concerns over the estimated 189,000 individuals residing near the border with Russia, stating that they face “significant risks due to ongoing fighting.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserts that his goal is not to seize Kharkiv but rather to establish a “security zone” for Russia’s border region.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has initiated its own attacks into Russian territory.
Belgorod, situated just 12km (7 miles) from the border with Ukraine, has been repeatedly targeted, including an incident earlier this week involving a drone strike on a moving car resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to three others.
Last week, Mr. Zelensky cautioned that the Russian ground offensive might only represent the “first wave” of attacks.