Russia Launches Deadly Attacks on Kharkiv, Targeting Civilians and NGO Office

Russia was once again reported to have unleashed a series of attacks on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and its surrounding regions on Wednesday The attacks, according to the reports, claimed three lives while left at least six injured, and resulted in a significant damage to the office of a Swiss mine-clearing organization, local officials reported.

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and its surrounding region have been under relentless attacks by drone, missile, and guided-bomb attacks since Moscow initiated its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

As the recent reports state, in the town of Lozova, located south of Kharkiv, a strike killed three individuals and wounded six others, according to regional police. Rescue operations continued into the evening as authorities worked to assist the injured and assess the damage.

Oleh Syniehubov, the region’s governor, detailed the destruction caused by an overnight strike that severely damaged the office of the Fondation suisse de déminage, a Swiss mine-clearing NGO. The attack destroyed the facade and ceilings of several floors and damaged six vehicles used by the group’s medical team. Syniehubov emphasized the critical role of demining initiatives in Kharkiv, one of the regions most heavily contaminated with landmines and other hazardous war remnants.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported five separate strikes on the city following Russia’s overnight assault. The latest attack struck an industrial area, injuring six people and causing extensive damage to infrastructure and vehicles.

As the day progressed, Syniehubov noted additional strikes in the evening, with local media reporting explosions outside the city after midnight. However, no further details on casualties or damage were available at that time.

Despite Russia’s repeated denials of deliberately targeting civilians, thousands have been killed and injured in its 29-month-old invasion of Ukraine