A Russian missile attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has resulted in multiple casualties, including the deaths of a woman and her three-year-old child, according to Ukrainian authorities. The strike, which occurred on Friday afternoon, targeted a multi-story residential apartment block that was nearly completely destroyed in the dual missile assault.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned what he described as a ‘heinous’ attack that killed civilians even as diplomatic efforts intensify. Preliminary reports indicate that the victims found in the rubble were likely a mother and her young son. Among the approximately 28 injured victims was a six-month-old infant, with 16 requiring hospitalization for their wounds.
Search and rescue operations continue at the devastated site, with over 80 emergency personnel and volunteers working to locate potential survivors beneath the wreckage. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov is overseeing the ongoing recovery efforts.
The Russian Defense Ministry has categorically denied responsibility for the attack, asserting in an official Telegram statement that Russian forces ‘neither planned nor launched attacks using missile weapons or aircraft weapons within the city of Kharkiv.’ Russian officials instead suggested the destruction resulted from Ukrainian ammunition detonating, citing pre-attack footage showing ‘heavy smoke of unknown origin.’
The attack comes at a diplomatically sensitive moment, with crucial peace talks brokered by the United States scheduled to take place in Kyiv on Saturday. President Zelensky indicated that approximately 15 countries are expected to participate in the discussions, along with representatives from the EU and NATO, with a US delegation joining via video link. This meeting will be followed by a gathering of the ‘coalition of the willing’ in France on January 6th.
In a related development, Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of conducting a drone strike on a New Year’s Eve celebration in the village of Khorly in the Russian-occupied Kherson region, claiming at least 27 fatalities and over 30 injuries. Ukraine has declined to directly address these allegations, maintaining that it adheres to international humanitarian law by exclusively targeting military installations.
The BBC has been unable to independently verify casualty figures from either incident amid the ongoing conflict and information warfare between the two nations.