Kyiv, Jun 11 (AP) Russian forces unleashed a significant drone assault across Ukraine overnight Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to 60 others, according to Ukrainian officials.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 85 Shahed-type drones and decoy UAVs targeted the northeastern city of Kharkiv and other regions.
Of these, air defense systems managed to intercept 40 drones, while an additional nine were either lost from radar or jammed.
One of the areas most affected was Kharkiv, where 17 attack drones struck two residential districts, as noted by Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
“These are ordinary sites of peaceful life — those that should never be targeted,” Terekhov shared on Telegram.
The confirmed casualties included two fatalities, with at least 60 people injured, among them nine children aged between 2 and 15, as reported by regional head Oleh Syniehubov.
Emergency crews, along with municipal workers and volunteers, worked tirelessly through the night to extinguish fires, rescue residents from burning homes, and restore essential services such as gas, electricity, and water.
The strikes led to significant destruction in the Slobidskyi and Osnovianskyi districts, affecting apartment buildings, private homes, playgrounds, industrial sites, and public transport.
Images shared by Ukraine's Emergency Service on Telegram depicted burning apartments, shattered windows, and firefighters battling the inferno.
Kharkiv has been a frequent target in recent months, with Russia intensifying its drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“We stand strong. We help one another. And we will endure,” Terekhov stated. “Kharkiv is Ukraine. And it cannot be broken.”
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