Ukraine War: City of Kharkiv reports heaviest shelling since the start of the war

The eastern Ukrainian city is being heavily attacked by Russia. The Russian Central Bank is apparently coming under pressure. All developments in the news blog.

Massive Russian airstrikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv reportedly resulted in several casualties overnight. Kamikaze drones, rockets, and glide bombs struck various locations in the country's second-largest city, the RBK-Ukraine news agency reported, citing official sources. Several fires broke out as a result of the attacks, which continued into the early morning.

"Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most intense attack since the beginning of the war. At least 40 explosions have been heard in the city in the last hour and a half," Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote, according to the Telegram report. He reported one death, while RBK-Ukraine reported several injuries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that at least six people were killed in Russian attacks overnight. Three of them were attacked during rescue operations, Zelensky said in his evening video address. Eighty people were injured in the capital Kyiv and elsewhere. Some residents are still buried under rubble.

Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on Ukraine on Friday, including the launch of a Tu-160 strategic bomber and 36 Kh-101 cruise missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the report.

The use of this bomber could be a sign that the Ukrainian "Operation Spider Web," in which several Russian airfields were attacked , is having an effect. Previously, Russia had carried out attacks like the current one with older Tu-95 bombers. The attacks damaged 41 Russian military aircraft, including one-third of the strategic bombers.

The Tu-160 bombers are part of Russia's strategic nuclear forces. They are technically more complex and therefore more prone to failure, and each use of the aircraft shortens their service life. Therefore, Russia has so far tried to conserve these aircraft. After the recent loss of several Tu-95 bombers, Russia now apparently has to resort to the more valuable Tu-160s. In addition, Russia has apparently relocated a Tu-160 to a particularly remote airfield in the Far East of the country – just 500 kilometers from the US state of Alaska. This is reported by the portal "United24."

The war against Ukraine is driving Russia ever deeper into economic crisis. The central bank is seeking a way out. Read the full article here .

Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with an unusually heavy wave of drone strikes and cruise missiles. Several news outlets reported massive attacks on the capital, Kyiv , as well as other major cities and regions in the west of the country. At least four people were killed and 20 others injured in Kyiv, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing Mayor Vitali Klitschko . Air raid sirens were sounded in all regions of Ukraine.

Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased international pressure on Moscow . "Russia must be held accountable," he wrote on Platform X. This is the moment for Europe, the US , and other parts of the world to stop the war. Those who fail to exert sufficient pressure are complicit.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported 407 Russian drones deployed—the highest number in one night since the war began. According to Zelensky, more than 40 missiles and cruise missiles were also deployed.

Ukraine reportedly launched further attacks on military airfields in Russia overnight. The Ukrainian army said on Friday that one of the "successful" attacks hit Engels Air Base in the southern Russian region of Saratov. It said many "enemy aircraft" were stationed there. These images, circulating on social media, allegedly show burning fuel tanks at the Engels Air Base: