Russian drone strike on Kharkiv kills 2, injures 25
Two people were killed, and 25 others, including five children, were injured following a Russian Shahed drone attack on the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine.
The information was reported by Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration, and Ihor Terekhov, the city’s mayor, on their Telegram channels.
According to local authorities, the attack targeted the Shevchenkivskyi district, where kamikaze drones triggered multiple explosions. “An explosion rocked central Kharkiv. A Shahed drone strike followed,” Mayor Terekhov reported on Telegram. Shortly after, he confirmed two more explosions in the city.
Rescue teams were dispatched to the affected sites. In a later update, Syniehubov announced that a drone had struck a private home in the Shevchenkivskyi district, killing one person and injuring another.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported that a military hospital was also hit, according to Ukrinform.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of sabotaging international efforts to end the war. In a statement on Saturday, March 29, he said that, the previous night, Russian forces had launched 172 attack drones and missiles against Ukraine.
“Our partners must understand that these Russian strikes are not only against our people but also against all international efforts—against the diplomacy we are using to try to end this war. Russia is targeting everyone who seeks peace,” he stated.
Zelensky also said he expects a “serious response” to Russia’s military actions, “first and foremost” from the United States, Europe, and “all those around the world who have placed their hopes in diplomacy.” “Russia must be pressured into peace. Only force will be effective,” he added.
In the same speech, Zelensky noted that Russia has “for too long” ignored the U.S. offer of an unconditional ceasefire. “That says a lot. There could already have been a ceasefire if real pressure had been applied to Russia,” he concluded.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
