“Everything darkened, and I didn’t know where to run.” Russian missile attack on central Kharkiv injures 30 people (Photo)

UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Jan. 2 — Yulia was in her car when a Russian missile hit one of the apartment buildings on Sumska Street, the main street of Kharkiv. It was about 2:30 p.m.

“I was driving in my car, stopped at a traffic light, there was an explosion, and everything started falling apart,” said the woman. 

Yulia thought that Russians usually launch a second missile immediately, and that is what happened. Twenty seconds later, there was another explosion. She says she’s lucky the windscreen of her car didn’t break — if it had, she would be dead. 

Later, Ihor Terekhov, the Kharkiv mayor, said that Russian forces attacked the Kyivskyi district of the city, destroying a multy-storey apartment building.

A building destroyed by a Russian missile in Kharkiv on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

As for now, the Kharkiv mayor reported about 30 injured people because of the attack.

Amil Omarov, head prosecutor in Kharkiv oblast, told Gwara Media that specialists are still clearing the debris, so “the number of victims may unfortunately increase.”

He also added that one of the victims is in serious condition in the hospital, while the lives of the others are not in danger.

The head prosecutor said that the Russian army launched two Iskander missiles at Kharkiv.

Dust from a destroyed building after a Russian attack on Kharkiv on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

The Russian attack damaged dozens of buildings, the transport network, a hospital, and a shopping center, said Terekhov to journalists.

“These are civilian objects. You can see that this is an old district in the center of Kharkiv. Five-story apartment buildings where people have always lived,” he said.

A Kharkiv local in his damaged apartment after the Russian attack the city on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

Injured locals on the street after the Russian attack on Kharkiv on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

“There were two explosions. One was very powerful. All the furniture shook,” said Halyna, the local.

Halyna lives on the top floor of a building near the one that was destroyed. The blast broke a heating pipe in the section of the building adjacent to hers — the water is flooding her flat, too.

Damaged street in Kharkiv after Russian attack on the city on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

Exactly one year ago, the Russian attack destroyed Oleksandr’s apartment. Now he lives in his small workshop. After today’s attack, he came to help clear the debris and rescue the injured.

“I carried people out in my arms. They were covered in blood. I gave them first aid and gave my jacket to someone,” said Oleksandr.

A volunteer helps a girl after the Russian attack on Kharkiv / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

A Gwara Media journalist reported that, as of 4:15, firefighters were still extinguishing the fire at the impact site.

Firefighters extinguish a fire in a building destroyed by a Russian missile in Kharkiv on Jan. 2 / Photo: Gwara Media, Mykyta Kuznetsov

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