Russian attack on Kharkiv kills three, including two teenagers in eastern Ukraine

In Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, a Russian airstrike on a residential building left three dead, including two teenage boys, and injured at least 35 people on Thursday.

Regional official Oleh Syniehubov reported that a 12-year-old boy was severely wounded by a 500-kilogram Russian glide bomb and did not survive despite prolonged resuscitation efforts.

Later, rescue teams recovered the bodies of a 15-year-old boy and an unidentified man from the rubble.

The attack is part of an intensified Russian campaign using powerful glide bombs to target Ukrainian positions and cities along the extensive eastern front. Kharkiv, a city of 1.1 million near the Russian border, has faced increasing bombardment.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated his appeal to the United States to allow Ukraine to utilize long-range missiles to strike Russian air bases launching these glide bomb attacks. So far, Washington has permitted only limited strikes near the border.

In a video shared on Telegram, Zelenskyy showed the extensive destruction of the nine-story building in Kharkiv and stressed that delays in Western support contribute to more Ukrainian casualties. “Their decisions are the lives of our people,” he stated, urging swift and robust support to counter Russia.

The assault on Kharkiv was one of many across Ukraine. Earlier Thursday, Russian forces fired 10 missiles at the Dniester Estuary bridge in the Odesa region, although only two were intercepted. It is unclear if the bridge sustained damage.

Additionally, 43 exploding drones were launched across at least nine regions, with Ukraine’s air force intercepting 17, jamming 23 and three returning to Russian-controlled areas.

In Kyiv, drone debris caused minor damage in the Podil district. According to Kyiv’s city administration, the capital has faced daily air alerts and multiple aerial attacks throughout October.

Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Via AP

In eastern Ukraine, Russian forces pressed forward in their slow advance, capturing the village of Yasna Polyana in Donetsk, en route to the fortified Ukrainian stronghold of Kurakhove.

Ukrainian drone strikes also continued, with a reported attack in the Russian-occupied port city of Berdyansk, injuring three.

The ongoing conflict has strained diplomatic ties across Europe. Zelenskyy announced plans for a document to address security concerns with Hungary, aiming to resolve tensions with Budapest, which has resisted NATO integration for Ukraine.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintains a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has consistently opposed NATO membership for Ukraine, often challenging the European Union’s stance against Russia.

Carson Schuler is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email cts5357@psu.edu.