A Russian drone strike killed seven people, including two children, in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday, local officials said. At least 23 others were injured.
According to Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synehubov, four Shahed drones hit a five-story apartment building in the city’s Industrial District. Fires broke out across several floors, damaging six buildings and 15 vehicles. Emergency crews rescued two people from the rubble, and searches continue.
⚡ Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office posted the footage of the aftermath of the Russian “Shahed” attack on Kharkiv.
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“An entire family died in an apartment on the fifth floor,” said Serhiy Bolvinov, head of investigations for the Kharkiv National Police, in a Facebook post.
The attack occurred as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was traveling to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy condemned the Kharkiv strike as “a demonstrative and cynical” act by Moscow aimed at undermining peace efforts.
“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts,” Zelenskyy said. “That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war. The war must be ended. And it is Moscow that must hear the word stop.”
The attack was part of a broader overnight barrage. Ukraine’s Air Force reported 140 drones and four missiles launched across the country, with 88 drones intercepted. Strikes were recorded in at least 25 locations spanning the Donetsk, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kyiv, and Kharkiv regions.
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August 18th, 2025. Footage of an early morning Russian strike on a residential building in Kharkiv.
Reports indicate at least seven civilians, including a 1.5-year-old child were killed and over 20 additional civilians were injured. pic.twitter.com/PbScQOi6LL
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In Zaporizhzhia, three people were killed and 23 wounded by missile strikes, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it downed 24 Ukrainian drones overnight.
