Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of launching a barrage of artillery fire into the eastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least three people and wounding 23 more.
The attack, which began early Monday morning, targeted residential areas and critical infrastructure, causing widespread damage. A number of buildings were destroyed or damaged, including a school, a hospital, and a market.
The shelling comes as Russia continues to intensify its offensive in eastern Ukraine, where it has been making slow but steady gains in recent weeks. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has been a key target of Russian forces, who have been trying to capture it since the early days of the war.
In a statement, the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration said that Russian forces had fired more than 40 shells into the city in the space of a few hours. The attack appeared to be indiscriminate, with shells landing in both residential and commercial areas.
The death toll from the shelling is expected to rise as rescue workers continue to search through the rubble.
The attack on Kharkiv is the latest in a series of Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have also shelled schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure in cities across the country, including Kyiv, Mariupol, and Odessa.
The attacks have been widely condemned by the international community, which has accused Russia of war crimes.
The Ukrainian government has called on the international community to do more to help defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
In particular, Ukraine has asked for more military aid, including heavy weapons such as tanks and fighter jets.
The West has so far been reluctant to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons, fearing that it could escalate the conflict and lead to a wider war with Russia. However, the shelling of Kharkiv and other civilian targets is likely to increase pressure on the West to provide Ukraine with more military assistance.
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