Russian drones swarmed Kharkiv and Dnipro late Tuesday. Officials reported the attacks killed at least one person and injured at least 46.
Kharkiv, near the Russian border, has suffered regular attacks. Moscow has targeted Ukraine’s second-largest city since the full-scale invasion began over three years ago.
Oleh Syniehubov, regional governor, stated the Tuesday attack injured at least 45 people. The attack on the city late on Tuesday injured at least 45 people, including two children and a pregnant woman.
The United States had tried to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. It announced it would step back as mediator unless Moscow and Kyiv offered concrete proposals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a ceasefire from May 8-10. The ceasefire would mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War Two. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for an immediate ceasefire lasting at least 30 days.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Russian forces targeted several areas of the devastated city. He added, “There have been 16 strikes on Kharkiv. A high-rise apartment block was hit as were private homes, a medical facility and civilian infrastructure.” About 1.2 million people live in Kharkiv, compared to nearly 2 million before Moscow’s February 2022 invasion.
Public broadcaster posted photos of firefighters tackling flames. Suspilne reported, “one drone struck the eighth floor of an apartment building.” It also stated, “two medical facilities had been hit.”
In Dnipro, drones started fires and killed a 53-year-old man. Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, said another person was injured, adding, “A difficult night for Dnipro. Private homes have been damaged.”
He said they destroyed nine Russian drones over the region overnight.
The full scale of the overnight attack on Ukraine was unclear. Both sides deny targeting civilians. A mass Russian drone attack in Dnipro last month killed four people. It also sparked a large fire in a hotel and restaurant complex and other buildings.
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