At least four people have been killed and six others wounded after a Russian drone attack struck the outskirts of Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv, officials said on Tuesday, underscoring the continued intensity of the war even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict falter.
Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed that the death toll from the latest strike had risen to four. The city, located just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border, has been repeatedly targeted since the start of the invasion.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said one of the long-range drones hit a children’s medical facility, sparking a fire and raising further concerns over the safety of civilian infrastructure.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s national grid operator, Ukrenergo, announced that emergency power outages were being enforced in Kyiv after overnight Russian attacks damaged energy infrastructure.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the company did not specify the extent of the damage or how long the blackouts would last, but said the measures were necessary to stabilise the power system.
The head of Kyiv’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, described the assault on the capital as brief but intense, involving a barrage of Russian missiles. Monitoring groups on Telegram reported that around 20 ballistic missiles were launched within roughly an hour during the overnight attack.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defence units were activated to repel the strikes, while witnesses told Reuters they heard multiple explosions across the city. No casualties were immediately reported in the capital.
The latest wave of attacks came just hours after Washington accused Moscow of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of the war, even as US President Donald Trump continues to push for a negotiated end to the conflict.
With Russian forces intensifying strikes on urban centres and energy infrastructure, hopes for a near-term peace deal appear increasingly remote.
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