In a Russian attack with ballistic missiles and glide bombs on Kharkiv, a clinic building in the Nemyshlianskyi district was hit overnight into Tuesday and at least 25 people were injured. That is according to the news agency Ukrinform. The city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, had initially reported four injured people after the impact; later Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, cited 25 injured people, according to updated figures.
According to the governor, an enemy attack struck in a passage between buildings of the clinic. A building of a medical department, the windows of four multi-storey residential buildings and ten cars were damaged. Rescue services and medical personnel were deployed to treat the injured and relocate patients. As Ukrinform and the Kyiv Post report, around 200 patients are to be taken to other medical facilities.
Conflicting figures on the number of casualties
The figures on the number of injured differ among the sources. Ukrinform cites at least 25 injured, relying on Syniehubov. The Kyiv Independent reports 62 injured, citing local authorities, and the Kyiv Post, in its updated report, at least 73 injured, citing Ukrainian officials.
According to the Kyiv Post, Terekhov warned the population on Telegram at around 3:23 a.m.: “Kharkiv is under a combined attack with ballistic missiles and KABs – be careful!” KABs are guided aerial bombs. Because of the danger of ballistic attacks, a red-level air alert was in force in several regions of the country, as Ukrinform reports.
Kharkiv is 30 kilometres from the border
With around 1.4 million inhabitants, Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine and lies only about 30 kilometres from the Russian border. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression, the city has repeatedly been the target of missile, drone and glide-bomb attacks.
The attack comes amid a tense situation. According to the Kyiv Post, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in his evening address on Monday, 2 November, that Ukrainian intelligence had detected preparations for another massive Russian attack, directed primarily against energy and logistics infrastructure. Moscow could therefore be trying to exploit international attention on the US midterm elections this Tuesday. Zelensky also pointed to Ukraine’s difficulties in procuring interceptor missiles for the Patriot system.
The shelling of Kharkiv follows a costly day for the civilian population: on Monday, according to the Kyiv Post, Russian aircraft bombed a school in Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region where humanitarian aid was being distributed. At least 26 people were killed. After the first impact, further bombs were reportedly dropped on a shelter where civilians had sought refuge.
Editor’s note: The casualty figures are based on differing statements from Ukrainian authorities at the time of each report. The situation on the ground is fluid; new official figures may replace the values given.
