The scene following the Russian bombing of Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, left devastation some are describing as “utter destruction” as the nation faces its sixth day of attacks.
ITV correspondent Dan Rivers surveyed the damage following the harrowing incident in a video revealing the impact on the city’s Freedom Square.
Utter destruction in #Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv following Russian bombing. This is Freedom Square in city center that got hit this morning: pic.twitter.com/QtIUYBMKiF
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) March 1, 2022
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, released a video showing the missile strike upon Freedom Square.
“Barbaric Russian missile strikes on the central Freedom Square and residential districts of Kharkiv. Putin is unable to break Ukraine down. He commits more war crimes out of fury, murders innocent civilians. The world can and must do more. INCREASE PRESSURE, ISOLATE RUSSIA FULLY!” he wrote.
Barbaric Russian missile strikes on the central Freedom Square and residential districts of Kharkiv. Putin is unable to break Ukraine down. He commits more war crimes out of fury, murders innocent civilians. The world can and must do more. INCREASE PRESSURE, ISOLATE RUSSIA FULLY! pic.twitter.com/tN4VHF1A9n
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 1, 2022
Another user video shows the missile strike did not make a direct hit upon the building but still left strong destruction in the area.
Video of aftermath of Russian rocket strike in Kharkiv, 0801, March 1, 2022. Target seemed to be Regional Administration Building, but rocket missed. Geolocated at 50.005000, 36.236033. pic.twitter.com/QuR2xlKTSc
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 1, 2022
The strike was near a residential neighborhood where thousands of people live in the city, according to reports. At least 10 civilian deaths have been confirmed in the area, The Wall Street Journal reported:
At least 10 civilians were killed and more than 40 injured, with the toll likely to grow because continued shelling interfered with rescue efforts, said Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Synehubov. “It’s a war crime,” he said. Most of Kharkiv’s residents are Russian-speakers, the population whose rights Moscow says it wants to protect through its military operation.
The city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said that the fatalities included four residents who had left a shelter to get water and a family of two parents and three children who were incinerated when a Russian rocket hit their car. “It’s not just a war, it’s murder,” he said.
The missile strike was not the only damage in Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials. On Tuesday, an area hospital reportedly burned in the city. Inna Sovsun, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, shared the video.
“Bombing houses isn’t enough. Today, #Putin decided it was time to destroy hospitals. Hospitals with the wounded from the previous attacks. These bastards need to be stopped!” Sovsun wrote.
Bombing houses isn't enough. Today, #Putin decided it was time to destroy hospitals. Hospitals with the wounded from the previous attacks. These bastards need to be stopped!#Kharkiv pic.twitter.com/XlVM2V9cVI
— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) March 1, 2022
In an earlier update, Sovsun called out some of Russia’s soldiers who have reportedly claimed to be following orders.
“Everyone involved in the war against #Ukraine must die or rot in prison. No ‘I just followed orders’ or other excuses. Anyone who is silent in #Russia now and says that ‘I did not send troops there’ must suffer economically and feel the contempt of the whole world,” she wrote.
Everyone involved in the war against #Ukraine must die or rot in prison. No "I just followed orders" or other excuses.
Anyone who is silent in #Russia now and says that "I did not send troops there" must suffer economically and feel the contempt of the whole world.
— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) March 1, 2022
The reports come as the U.S. has approved humanitarian and weapon support for Ukraine, but the logistics of delivering assistance poses great difficulty.
The strike also took place as a massive convoy of hundreds of Russian military vehicles spotted on Sunday in satellite images continues toward the capital of Kyiv. The Daily Wire reported:
“A long convoy is stretched out over more than three miles of road, consisting of hundreds of vehicles according to Maxar Technologies, which released the images,” The New York Times reported. “The forces include infantry fighting and supply vehicles around 40 miles northwest of Kyiv.”
NEW: Russian is sending a convoy hundreds of military vehicles in the direction of Kyiv, ~40 miles away.
The 3-mile convoy has tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery & logistics units. US defense official said that Russia had significant logistical troubles
📷:@Maxar pic.twitter.com/QE0mY8709D
— Jack Detsch (@JackDetsch) February 27, 2022
Russia launched a three-pronged attack into Ukraine, “toward Kyiv, the capital, from the north; toward Kharkiv, from the northeast; and fanning out from Crimea in the south,” the Times added.