Russian Robot Attack on Kharkiv | World

Ukrainian authorities had warned of a heightened risk of Russian attacks ahead of Saturday’s Independence Day. But the attack didn’t happen until 4 a.m. Two Russian missiles struck central Kharkiv at the same time. Explosions were heard throughout the city center, shaking walls and setting off car alarms.

One of the missiles hit an industrial area, while the other landed in a residential area near the Metalist Stadium in the city centre.

When the express train arrived at the scene shortly after the collision, firefighters struggled to control the blaze. Many single-family homes were destroyed, and the roofs of the most damaged homes were engulfed in flames. Stunned survivors, dressed in their nightgowns and underwear, watched.

“I was sleeping and suddenly the windows were pushed inwards, I jumped out and everything around me caught fire. My neighbours came and rescued me and pulled me out of the window,” says Svetlana, 53.

Neighbors recount how they heard screams from the burning house, ran forward and managed to pull Svetlana out.

There were no apparent military targets around the villa area, and it was not clear what the target was. Six people were injured, none seriously.

“Five private houses were destroyed, according to preliminary data, no one remained during the riots, so we have no victims, but the clearing work continues until this changes, Dmytro Chupenko, spokesman for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office,” Expressen said.

The Public Prosecution and the police arrived at the scene to investigate the incident, and the remains of the missile were collected for analysis.

According to Dmytro Chupenko, initial information indicates that it is an X-59 missile launched from fighter jets.

Over the past month, there has been relative calm as Russian bombardment of the town, which lies just three miles from the Russian border, has subsided. In May, six people were killed and 40 wounded when a hardware store was shelled.

Also in the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, a Russian robot struck overnight. Vadim Vilashkin, head of the Donetsk regional military administration, said several journalists were involved in the attack. Two of them are said to have been injured, while the third is still under the rubble. Journalists will come from Ukraine, the United States and Great Britain.