Ukraine, Kharkiv. Russians hit the block. Many dead and wounded

Russians launched an attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Friday, killing seven people and wounding at least 77, local authorities said. Ukraine said the bombs were equipped with systems that allow them to correct their flight and direct them to their targets.

As a result of Friday's shelling of Kharkiv, a fire broke out in a 12-story apartment building. Many of the upper floors went up in flames. Several cars parked in front of the building were also destroyed. A nearby playground was also hit.

Seven people died in the attack. The city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said on Telegram that a child was among them. Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a 14-year-old girl was among the dead.

At least 77 people were injured. According to the head of the regional government, Oleh Synehubov, about 20 of the injured were in serious condition.

The Russian military struck five locations in Kharkiv that day. Ukrainian authorities said the shelling involved five missiles fired from planes in Russia's Belgorod region. They said they were “glide bombs,” which are equipped with a navigation system that guides them to their targets.

The shells also hit a warehouse building and damaged three houses.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack on Kharkiv would not have been carried out if Ukrainian defense forces had been able to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases. “We need decisive decisions from our partners to stop this terror. This is an absolutely legitimate need. And there is no rational reason to limit Ukraine's defense. We need long-range capabilities,” he wrote on Telegram, also publishing a recording showing the scale of destruction after the block was hit.

Main image source: PAP/EPA/SERGEY KOZLOV