Russia’s Escalating Onslaught Leaves Kharkiv in Ruins and Civilians in Fear

A violent wave of Russian attacks struck Kharkiv on Saturday, with more than 40 explosions reported in the city, according to Mayor Igor Terekhov. The early morning barrage killed at least three people and injured many more, sending shockwaves across Ukraine’s northeastern region.

This offensive followed what has been described as one of the most intense aerial assaults of the war, carried out by Moscow just the night before. The strikes are widely believed to be retaliation for a recent Ukrainian drone attack that damaged a significant portion of Russia’s cruise missile arsenal.

Terekhov described the bombardment as the most forceful assault on Kharkiv since the start of the full-scale invasion. Missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs were launched in rapid succession, targeting residential neighborhoods and causing widespread destruction and panic among civilians.

A multi-story apartment building in the Osnovyanskyi district was engulfed in flames after being hit, killing two people. In another strike in the Kyivskyi district, a house was destroyed and one person was killed. Emergency teams rushed to rescue survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

Officials confirmed that the assault also damaged a music school and a government building. Among the wounded were a teenage girl and a one-and-a-half-month-old baby, who is reportedly suffering from acute stress. Ukrainian authorities condemned the attacks as terror aimed at civilians.

Residents described the horror they witnessed. Ruslana Sheveleva recounted how a neighbor’s house was struck, killing a young man instantly. His mother was pulled from the debris, while the father narrowly escaped. Iryna Ivanenko said her daughter was trapped under concrete and pleaded for help.

As the battle raged on, diplomatic tensions flared. Russia accused Ukraine of halting a planned prisoner exchange and the transfer of deceased soldiers without notice. Kremlin representative Vladimir Medinsky said Ukraine’s team failed to arrive, and the process was indefinitely suspended.

Ukraine dismissed those allegations, calling them inaccurate. In other developments, Ukraine’s air force claimed to have downed a Russian Su-35 fighter jet near the Kursk region. Although Moscow did not issue an official response, a Russian blogger confirmed the jet’s loss and the pilot’s survival.