At least three people have been killed and another 17 injured in the biggest Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, the mayor says.
Ihor Terekhov says that overnight Russia launched 48 drones, as well as two missiles and four gliding bombs.
“We have a lot of damage,” he says, adding that three high-rising residential buildings were hit. Footage has emerged showing several storeys of one such building on fire.
Six people were killed and 80 injured across Ukraine the previous night, when Russia attacked the country with more than 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles.
Russia said that aerial attack was in response to “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime”, claiming that military sites were targeted.
It came days after Ukraine’s daring drone strikes targeting Russian strategic warplanes at four air bases deep inside the country.
Ukraine’s security service SBU said at least 40 Russian aircraft were struck during its Operation Spider Web last Sunday.
Ukraine says 117 drones were used: they were first smuggled into Russia, then placed inside wooden cabins mounted on the back of lorries and concealed below remotely operated detachable roofs.
The lorries were then apparently driven to locations near the Russian air bases by drivers who were seemingly unaware of their cargo. The drones were then launched remotely.
Speaking to reporters late on Friday, US President Donald Trump said that the Ukrainians had given Russian President Vladimir Putin “a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night”.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
