Ukrainian officials report that Russian missile strikes on a multi-story apartment building in Kharkiv have killed at least two people and injured 25 others.
The city’s mayor confirmed that the bodies of a woman and her son were recovered from the rubble as search and rescue operations continue.
Images from the scene show extensive destruction, with emergency teams working through debris to find survivors.
While Ukraine states that two ballistic missiles hit the area, the Russian Defense Ministry has denied responsibility, claiming the explosion was caused by Ukrainian ammunition stored at the site.
This incident marks an escalation in hostilities following mutual attacks over the New Year period.
Russia continues to allege that Ukraine uses civilian areas for military storage, a claim consistently denied by Kyiv as the conflict impacts more residential zones.
Cloudflare