Russian Drone Strike Devastates Apartment Block in Kharkiv

A deadly Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in the early hours of Monday has left at least five people dead and many more injured, according to officials.

The strike targeted a five-storey residential block just before dawn, collapsing part of the structure and igniting fires across several floors. Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov confirmed on Telegram that four drones were launched at the building.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene, battling flames and digging through debris in a desperate effort to reach survivors. Ukraine’s state emergency service released footage showing rescuers breaking through rubble to free a trapped resident, while another video captured entire floors burning.

Ukraine’s prosecution service confirmed the fatalities, saying: “Five people were killed, including a girl aged about one-and-a-half years old.” It added: “At least 18 people were wounded and suffered acute shock, including children.”

The overnight assault came only hours after Kharkiv endured another strike, this time from a ballistic missile. City mayor Igor Terekhov reported that the earlier attack left at least 11 people wounded.

Kharkiv, a frontline city close to the Russian border, has faced relentless bombardments throughout the war, but officials described Monday’s twin strikes as particularly destructive.