Ukrainian officials allege Russia of committing war crimes after drones strike Kharkiv, leaving numerous wounded, including children.
On Sunday, Terekhov released a Telegram message indicating the second drone attack in a week, with seven Shahed drones launched against residential areas, hospitals, and the city’s infrastructure, mentioning the Iranian-made Shahed drones.
The attack also found its mark on a military hospital, a shopping center, and apartment buildings.
Among the casualties were children, with five out of 35 wounded in the overnight attack. At least 13 people were hospitalized, including a teenage girl in a serious condition.
Zein Basravi of Al Jazeera covering from Kyiv commented, “The events of last evening in Kharkiv were violent, illustrating the gravity of the war over the past months.”
Ukraine’s military reported servicemen being treated at the medical center during the attack. They accused Russia of committing a war crime, violating international humanitarian laws, with what they described as a deliberate and targeted shelling of the medical facility.
A survivor, Anton, shared his experience of seeking refuge in an adjacent room in his apartment following the drone strike that left him severely injured.
Kharkiv wasn’t the only city targeted overnight. Ukraine’s Air Force announced on Sunday that Russia had launched 111 drones and one ballistic missile, causing damage in Sumy, Odesa, and Donetsk regions as well. They added that air defenses managed to shoot down 65 drones and jam another 35.
In a daily bulletin, Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed their forces had struck 140 districts in Ukraine, including military airfields and ammunition depots, without mentioning the hospital.
During this time, Ukraine continues to seek strong support from Western allies to pressure Russia into ending its full-scale invasion. Both sides have accused each other of violating a US-brokered partial ceasefire recently, with Russia continuously sending swarms of drones over Ukraine.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a firm response from the United States and other allies to the persistent attacks, emphasizing that Russia had fired over 1,000 drones in the past week.
“Russia is prolonging the war. We are providing our partners with comprehensive information about the strikes by the Russian army and the actions it is preparing for,” stated Zelenskyy.
In addition, Zelenskyy warned of Russia’s planned spring offensive in northeastern Ukraine.
A peace effort led by US President Donald Trump, whose administration has sought to strengthen ties with Russia, has raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe that Ukraine could be forced into significant concessions.
At a recent summit in Paris, European leaders pledged to bolster Ukraine’s military, while France and Britain aimed to increase support for a proposed foreign “reassurance force” in case of a truce with Russia.
Following the Kharkiv attack, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot accused Russia of violating a ceasefire that Ukraine had adhered to.
“Ukraine has agreed to the US-proposed ceasefire. Yet, Russia persists in its war crimes, as seen yesterday in Kharkiv. Who still believes that Vladimir Putin desires peace?” Barret tweeted.
