Devastating Missile Strike on Kharkiv sports centre: 47 Injured, Including Children

Officials report five children among the wounded in Sunday’s attack, which also damaged a shopping mall.

At least 47 people, including five children, have been injured in a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. The assault, which began at approximately 1 pm local time on Sunday, targeted a shopping mall and a major sports center in the northeastern city, situated near the Russian border.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that the Saltivskyi and Nemyshlianskyi districts were hit, with the prosecutor general identifying the use of Iskander missiles. Among the injured were seven children, the youngest being just three months old.

“Several people are in a very serious condition,” Terekhov stated, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. He added that rescue teams and ambulances responding to the scene also came under fire. “The enemy launched a cynical repeat strike on our city … leaving doctors injured,” the mayor emphasized.

This attack follows a recent incident where at least seven people were killed and dozens injured when Russian weapons struck an apartment block in Kharkiv, sparking a fire.

In the aftermath of Sunday’s attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his call for Western allies to permit Ukraine to use their weapons on targets deeper inside Russia. Zelenskyy argues that such a move would enable Ukraine to more effectively mitigate the Russian military threat.

“All the necessary forces of the world must be brought in to stop this terror,” Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel, following reports that the attack involved at least 10 missiles. “This does not require extraordinary forces but enough courage on the part of the leaders – courage to give Ukraine what it needs to defend itself.”

Photos and videos from the scene depicted rescue workers and volunteers carrying the injured from the devastated buildings. Many victims were covered in dust, with their clothes ripped and torn. Shattered glass and debris littered the ground as people sought refuge in a nearby metro station.

Russia’s attack on Sunday occurred just hours after it claimed to have intercepted more than 150 drones over its territory, allegedly part of a “massive” Ukrainian assault. Last week, Russia intensified its air strikes on Ukraine, focusing on the country’s energy network. Moscow denies targeting civilians, asserting that damaging Ukraine’s energy system is a legitimate military objective. However, its drone and missile barrages have resulted in thousands of civilian casualties since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Zelenskyy reported that in the past week alone, Russia had deployed 160 missiles, 780 guided aerial bombs, and 400 attack drones against cities and soldiers across Ukraine. He called for “a decision on long-range strikes on missile launch sites from Russia, destruction of Russian military logistics, joint shooting down of missiles and drones.”

The ongoing conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on Ukraine, with each new attack underscoring the urgent need for international support and decisive action to protect civilian lives.