Russian forces attacked Kharkiv on Sunday morning: two residential buildings were damaged in the Saltivka district of the city. Two people were killed and 12 wounded, including at least one seriously injured. The consequences of the attack were reported by Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov and Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov.
The first strike on a residential building was recorded at 06:58. According to Terekhov, the impact destroyed the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth floors of the building.
Subsequently, two more explosions were heard in Kharkiv – at 07:11 and 07:12. Terekhov reported a hit on the neighboring residential building.
"The enemy hit the neighboring apartment building – it is deliberately striking at residential buildings," the mayor stated.
People remain trapped in the damaged buildings, and rescue workers are conducting search and rescue operations.
Repeated Risk for Rescuers
On June 15, Russia already killed rescuers in Kharkiv with a second strike – five died at that time. This tactic of "strike – then at those who rescue" makes each operation in Saltivka dangerous regardless of the scale of the destruction.
On August 5, six employees of the Kyiv Silpo supermarket died as a result of Russian shelling of the capital. The Kharkiv strike Sunday morning is a continuation of the same pattern: attacks on civilian infrastructure with no military objective.
Whether the series of strikes on residential areas will lead to strengthened air defense in Kharkiv in the coming weeks depends on how many systems partners can allocate amid other front priorities.
