At least 50 people were injured after Russia launched assault drones on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late on Friday night, Ukrainian officials said. The incident occurred just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 72-hour ceasefire to halt fighting.
"Nearly 50 people have been wounded because of the massive attack by the invader" on four districts, Kharkiv governor Oleg Synegubov wrote on the social media platform Telegram. "Fires have broken out. Residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, and cars have been damaged" in the drone strikes, he added.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that Russian drone strikes allegedly hit 12 locations across four key districts of the city. Located about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the country's northeastern border, Kharkiv has been a repeated target of Russian bombardments since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Only hours after the Kharkiv strike, Russian forces launched another coordinated drone assault on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, wounding more than 20 people, Ukrainian officials reported.
Reacting to the strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the international response, saying Ukraine’s allies have been too slow in helping it upgrade its air defence systems.
"There were no military targets, nor could there be any. Russia strikes dwellings when Ukrainians are in their homes, when they are putting their children to bed," Zelensky said.
The Kremlin has announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine next week to coincide with commemorations in Moscow marking the end of the Second World War. However, Kyiv dismissed the announcement as a political ploy, calling it a "manipulation" meant “just for a parade” that the Kremlin hosts annually on Red Square.
Meanwhile, the conflict shows little sign of abating. In a separate development, US President Donald Trump and President Zelensky announced the signing of a rare earth mineral deal, even as Washington continues to provide military aid to Ukraine.
There have been multiple reports of malfunctions in US-supplied weaponry — including drones, missiles, small arms, and artillery rounds — with some drones reportedly failing mid-air due to unexplained technical issues.
Defence experts say the United States Military Industrial Complex (MIC), led by firms such as Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin, has since developed and refined between 200 and 300 new weapons systems, incorporating direct feedback from Ukrainian operators on the ground.
Some experts suggest these advanced weapons may be sold to Saudi Arabia, as President Trump is expected to visit the country in the coming days. India, too, could be a potential buyer after the US announced $131 million in military assistance to New Delhi amid escalating tensions with Pakistan.
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