A Russian glide bomb struck a five-story apartment block in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, injuring at least 12 people including a 3-year-old girl, local officials said Thursday. The bomb hit between the third and fourth floors of the building on Wednesday night, igniting blazes, Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. Firefighters searched for survivors through smoke and rubble.
The city of Kharkiv, located around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border, has been a frequent target of aerial attacks throughout the war against Russia that is now deep into its third year. Glide bombs have become an increasingly common weapon in the war, terrorizing civilians and bludgeoning the Ukrainian army’s front-line defenses.
These bombs were a key weapon in Russia’s recent capture of the town of Vuhledar, as Russian forces continue to wreak destruction on the eastern Donetsk region, forcing weary Ukrainian troops to retreat from obliterated towns and villages. Ukraine lacks an effective countermeasure for glide bombs, which are launched from Russian aircraft within Russian territory.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine emphasized the urgent need for increased support from the country’s Western allies after the latest attack in Kharkiv. Zelenskyy recently engaged in talks with officials in the United States to secure further Western military assistance. Russia has held the battlefield initiative since late last year, with Ukraine facing manpower shortages and struggling to repel Russia’s relentless assaults.
Despite Russia’s incremental gains on the battlefield, the steady forward movement is eroding Ukrainian territory as the country’s forces are pushed back. Both sides continue cross-border aerial attacks, particularly at night. In the recent clash, Ukraine’s air force reported destroying 78 out of 105 Shahed drones launched by Russia overnight, as multiple Ukrainian regions came under attack.
Similarly, the Russian military intercepted 113 Ukrainian drones overnight, destroying them over several Russian regions along the border with Ukraine. The ongoing conflict underscores the severity of the situation in the region as civilian casualties continue to mount. Stay updated on the developments of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.