Three children killed

Fire after devastating drone attack in Kharkiv

Firefighters in Kharkiv fight the flames after petrol ignited at a petrol station following a drone attack.(Bild: Associated Press)

Seven civilians were killed in a Russian drone attack in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Friday night. According to the governor of the oblast, children are also among the victims. After a petrol station was hit, a massive fire broke out and spread to numerous neighboring buildings.

Russia announced that the city in eastern Ukraine had been attacked by Iranian Shahed drones. Kharkiv's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, reported on Telegram that civilian infrastructure had been hit. Petrol had ignited at a petrol station and 14 private houses had burned, Terekhov continued. According to the report, the fire spread over an area of 3700 square meters.

A video of the flaming inferno is shown in this post:

The fire jumped to more than a dozen houses in Kharkiv.(Bild: Associated Press)

50 residents of the city, including children, were evacuated. According to Terekhov, civil protection is fighting the fire and continuing its search for possible victims. The media reported explosions in the country's second-largest city. Governor Oleh Synehubov wrote on the short messaging service Telegram that the Nemyshliansky district had been hit. There was also an impact on a café in Velyky Burluk, east of Kharkiv.

The Ukrainian air force also reported drone attacks on Kharkiv on Telegram. There was initially no information about casualties or injuries.

Injured also after attack in Odessa
Meanwhile, at least one person was injured in the Black Sea region of Odessa in the south, according to military governor Oleh Kiper. A 44-year-old man was injured in the arm by shrapnel and is being treated in hospital.

Moscow fended off drone attacks
Russia, for its part, said it had repelled a drone attack over the Bryansk region near the border with Ukraine on Saturday night. The air defense intercepted and destroyed three Ukrainian drones, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow announced early Saturday morning. There was initially no information about damage or casualties. The information could not be independently verified.

Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for almost two years. Both sides have repeatedly deployed drones. However, the damage caused by Ukraine is disproportionate to the destruction caused by Russia in its neighboring country.