Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed two civilians, including a three-year-old child, and injured nearly 30 others on Friday, according to Ukrainian authorities, marking one of the deadliest attacks on the city in recent weeks.
The strike hit a residential neighborhood in the northeastern city during the afternoon, nearly leveling a multi-story apartment building and trapping residents beneath the rubble, emergency officials said.
Kharkiv officials said the victims were a woman and a young child, believed to be mother and son based on preliminary information. Among the injured were a six-month-old baby, while at least 16 people were hospitalized with various injuries.
Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said more than 80 rescue workers and volunteers were deployed to the site as search-and-rescue operations continued into the evening.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, calling it “heinous,” and said it underscored the continued toll on civilians despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“Unfortunately, this is how Russia treats human life,” Zelensky wrote on X, adding that the strikes were continuing “despite all efforts by the world, and especially by the United States, through diplomacy.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry rejected claims that its forces carried out the strike, stating on Telegram that Russian troops had not launched missile or air attacks within Kharkiv city limits.
The ministry suggested the explosion may have resulted from Ukrainian ammunition detonating, citing video footage showing smoke before the blast. Moscow also accused Kyiv of attempting to divert attention from a Ukrainian drone strike earlier this week in Russian-controlled parts of southern Ukraine.
Ukraine, responding to the allegations, said it adheres to international humanitarian law and carries out attacks only against military targets.
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The strike occurred on the eve of high-level discussions in Kyiv on a U.S.-brokered peace initiative. Zelensky said representatives from about 15 countries are expected to attend the talks, alongside officials from the European Union and NATO, with a U.S. delegation joining remotely.
Separately, leaders from the so-called “coalition of the willing” are scheduled to meet in France on January 6 to discuss further support for Ukraine.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case into the Kharkiv incident, while Moscow’s foreign ministry accused Ukraine’s leadership of attempting to intimidate civilians in Russian-occupied regions.
Kharkiv, located just 30 kilometers from Russia’s border, has been a frequent target of missile and drone attacks since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.