A massive Russian aerial assault on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed at least five people, one night after Moscow carried out a large-scale attack on Ukraine, officials said.
The city was hit by “at least 40 explosions” in the early hours of Saturday, according to Mayor Igor Terekhov. The attacks targeted multiple sites, including an apartment block with a large fire and a children’s playground with a miniature railway.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “pure terrorism”. He called for tougher pressure on Russia to make peace and demanded specific signals from the US regarding air defense. The US has extended an offer to buy air defense systems, but it has not yet received a response.
The Russian military claimed that they achieved their objectives in the attack, targeting Ukrainian military facilities. However, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War accused Russia of playing “dirty games” over prisoner exchanges and repatriation of bodies.
The situation remains uncertain, with no clear explanation from Moscow on why the attack occurred or what response they will take to Ukraine’s warnings.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/07/europe/russia-strikes-kharkiv-ukraine-intl-hnk