On the night of October 1, Kharkiv came under a combined attack by Russian troops. The city and its suburbs were hit with guided aerial bombs (KABs), and ballistic missiles were launched.
This was reported by the city’s mayor, Igor Terekhov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleg Synyegubov, and correspondents from Suspilne.
The first explosions were heard around 2 a.m. According to the authorities, the strikes hit the Kyiv and Saltiv districts. At least two houses were destroyed in the private sector, and more than ten were damaged. According to neighbors, no one was in the destroyed houses during the strike.
The strikes caused large-scale fires, burning private houses, garages, and shopping pavilions. At the market in the Kyivskyi district alone, the fire initially covered an area of 500–700 square meters and later spread to 3,000 square meters. Fires were also reported in a garage cooperative and in downtown Kharkiv.
The number of wounded kept growing throughout the night. As of the morning, at least six victims were known. They include an 80-year-old woman and men aged 21, 25, 27 and 34. Four were hospitalized with explosive wounds of mild to moderate severity, and one was treated on the spot.
“Please stay in shelters! There is a repeated threat to Kharkiv,” Mayor Igor Terekhov emphasized during the attack.
According to the city’s Emergency Situations Department, the ballistic missiles launched during the attack landed outside the city, in the region. Rescuers and medics continue to work at the sites of the hits.
One of the largest markets in Europe, Barabashovo, was hit again. Trade pavilions and the adjacent private sector were destroyed as a result of the nighttime shelling.