Explosions occurred in Kharkiv around 16:00. Preliminarily, the Russians struck a residential area of the city, reports Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
"The strike is preliminarily in a residential area of the city, in a dense civilian area. Information about the victims and damage is being clarified," Terekhov said.
According to the mayor of Kharkiv, all relevant services will work at the site of the hit.
Updated at 16:18. Russians hit a construction hypermarket
According to Terekhov, according to preliminary data, Russians hit a construction hypermarket. There may be victims, but this information, according to the mayor, needs to be clarified.
The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said on his Telegram channel that a fire had broken out at the scene.
Updated at 16:28. There is a dead and injured
Syniehubov said that there was a dead and injured as a result of the shelling of Kharkiv.
"As of now, we know about one dead person and at least four wounded. The information is being updated," said the head of the Regional Military Administration.
Updated at 16:39. The death toll is now two
"We already know about two dead," Terekhov said.
Kharkiv under shelling
Kharkiv under shelling
Kharkiv under shelling
Kharkiv under shelling
Updated at 16:49. Many people are missing
According to the mayor of the city, the Russians targeted the shopping center. There were many people there at the time of the attack.
"We have a large number of people missing. There are many wounded. Apparently, the strike was aimed at the shopping center, where there were many people - this is pure terrorism," Terekhov said.
Updated at 16:58. There are 11 victims reported
According to Syniehubov, as of 16:58, 11 people were reported injured in the attack on Kharkiv.
Updated at 17:28. The number of injured is now 24, there could have been 200 people in the hypermarket
According to the latest data from the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, the number of victims has increased to 24. At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 200 people could have been in the hypermarket. Specialized services are currently working at the scene.
In addition, Dmytro Chubenko, a spokesperson for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, said that law enforcement officers had seized video surveillance footage from the Epicenter hypermarket to establish who was inside at the time of the attack. At least 10 people are now known to be missing.
Shelling of Kharkiv and the region
This is not the first time today that explosions have been heard in Kharkiv. On the night of May 25, Russians attacked an educational institution in the city. The shelling destroyed a workshop and damaged the main building of the lyceum.
In the afternoon, explosions were heard in Northern Saltivka. As it turned out, the Russians were attacking the outskirts of Kharkiv. According to Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Regional Military Administration, the occupiers hit with anti-aircraft guns, which resulted in one civilian casualty.
A few days earlier, the Russians attacked a printing house in Kharkiv. As a result of the enemy shelling, seven people were killed and more than 20 were wounded.