At least three people have been killed and 21 others injured in the largest drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, officials said Saturday.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that Russia launched a wave of 48 drones, along with two missiles and four guided aerial bombs, in a sustained overnight assault.

“There is a lot of damage,” Terekhov said, noting that multiple residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were hit during the barrage. 

Emergency crews were deployed across the city as firefighters battled blazes and rescue teams searched for survivors beneath rubble.

The attack comes just a day after another wave of intense Russian strikes across Ukraine, which killed six people and injured at least 80.

The latest escalation follows Ukraine’s drone assault on Russian airfields last Sunday, which reportedly damaged military assets deep within Russian territory. 

In the aftermath, U.S. President Donald Trump said his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had vowed a response — though no official Kremlin statement confirmed the remark.

Kharkiv, located near the Russian border, has been a frequent target throughout the conflict but has witnessed a sharp rise in aerial attacks in recent weeks, prompting calls from Ukrainian officials for additional air defence support from Western allies. 

Ukraine’s military said its air defences had shot down a significant number of incoming drones, but several managed to evade interception.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the latest strikes.

Source: BBC

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