KYIV, Ukraine — In a tragic incident early Thursday, Russian forces targeted a residential structure in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-biggest city, resulting in the death of a 12-year-old boy and injuring numerous individuals.
According to regional leader Oleh Syniehubov, the young boy sustained fatal injuries when the building was struck by a Russian glide bomb weighing 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). Syniehubov detailed on his messaging app that first responders managed to free the child from beneath the rubble, but despite more than 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts, he could not be saved due to severe head trauma and multiple fractures.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that at least 35 people were injured due to the attack, and concerns remain high as others may still be trapped under the debris, including a 15-year-old boy who is currently unaccounted for.
Russian forces have escalated their use of powerful glide bombs to target Ukrainian positions along the extensive 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline and have been striking cities situated many kilometers away from the active combat zones. Kharkiv, a city with a population of 1.1 million, is located approximately 30 kilometers (less than 20 miles) from the border.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently urged the United States to permit Ukraine to deploy long-range American missiles capable of hitting airbases deeper within Russia, which are utilized by aircraft carrying glide bombs. To date, Washington has only permitted Ukraine to conduct strikes close to its borders.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy renewed his plea for support while sharing a video that showcased the destruction of the building, which had lost at least three floors and suffered significant damage overall. In his post on Telegram, he remarked, “Our partners observe the daily devastation occurring. Each delay in their decisions translates into dozens, if not hundreds, of Russian bombs being unleashed on Ukraine. Their choices directly impact our people’s lives. We must unite to halt Russia and do so with maximum force.”
In a related event on the same morning, Russia launched 10 missiles of various types at the Dniester Estuary bridge, which serves as a vital connection between the northern and southern sections of the Odesa region. Ukraine’s air force confirmed that only two of the missiles were successfully intercepted, without clarifying if the bridge had sustained any impact.
Additionally, Russian forces reportedly unleashed 43 explosive drones across at least nine regions of Ukraine; of those, 17 were intercepted, 23 were jammed, while three returned to areas controlled by Russia, as stated by the Ukrainian air force.
In Kyiv, Serhii Popko, the head of the city administration, mentioned that debris from some intercepting drones fell in the Podil district, causing minor damages. October has seen only one day without air alerts, with residents experiencing an average of two alerts daily, leading to the repulsion of 20 actual aerial assaults targeting the capital thus far this month.
On Thursday, Ukraine retaliated with drone strikes, targeting the Russia-occupied city of Berdyansk located on the Sea of Azov, which reported injuries to three individuals due to the drone attacks on the port. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that their air defenses successfully intercepted 21 Ukrainian drones across various regions and the Black Sea.
