Ukraine’s second-largest city hit by deadly Russian missile attack

At least seven people have died and 10 others, including three children, were injured after a Russian missile hit a five-storey residential building in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the attack and called for an international response.

He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country.

According to preliminary data, air defence systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones with hits from nine missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations.

In Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s north-east, emergency workers are combing the rubble, looking for survivors.

In the Kyiv region, damage from debris was reported in three districts, according to local authorities.

In the southern Odesa region, 80 firefighters were called in to help battle massive fires at infrastructure facilities following an attack with multiple drones.

Ukraine’s state rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia said damage to the rail infrastructure forced changes to a number of routes in the centre-west of the country.

Mr Zelensky wrote on X: “There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life.

“Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue.

“We count on active work with the European Union to guarantee greater protection for our people. I am grateful to everyone who helps strengthen our protection.”

Russia has fired tens of thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed drones at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbour just over four years ago.

It has launched a large-scale domestic production of them and battered Ukraine with hundreds of drones in a single night – more than were used during some entire months in 2024.

Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli strikes by launching the same type of drones at countries in the Middle East.

Mr Zelensky said he had received a US request for support to defend against the Iranian drones in the Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts.

The war in the Middle East has drawn international attention away from Europe’s biggest conflict since the Second World War and forced the postponement of a new round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week.