Russia’s Overnight Airstrikes Kill Three In Ukraine

Russian overnight missile strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Balakliya in Kharkiv region have killed three people and wounded at least ten others, including children, officials said on Monday.

According to Vitali Karabanov, head of the Balakliya military administration, two Russian missiles struck the city centre during the night, hitting an area near apartment buildings and triggering extensive rescue operations.

“According to preliminary information, three people were killed as a result of the night missile strike on the city of Balakliya,” Karabanov said in a post on Telegram.

He added that ten people were injured, among them a 14-year-old girl, a 12-year-old child and a 61-year-old man. Nine have been hospitalised, while emergency teams continue to search for victims.

“Unfortunately, calls about possible injuries continue to come in,” he stated.

Balakliya, located more than 60 kilometres from the front line, was captured by Russian forces at the start of the February 2022 invasion and later recaptured by Ukrainian troops during the September 2022 counteroffensive.

The latest strike shows the expanding reach of Russian attacks on communities far from active front-line combat.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service also confirmed the casualties and reported that four children were among the injured in what they described as a strike that heavily damaged residential buildings and vehicles in the area.

The assault follows a wave of intensified Russian bombardments across Ukraine. On Friday, seven people were killed when Russian missiles hit apartment blocks in the capital Kyiv, and authorities say Russia has stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday travelled to Paris, France to meet French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a European tour aimed at rallying support.

The tour is also aimed at securing additional air-defence systems and addressing the country’s growing energy crisis. He is scheduled to continue to Spain on Tuesday.

Russia has maintained an almost daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, despite repeated international condemnation. However, it denies targeting civilians.