UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Apr 9 — At night, Russia attacked Kharkiv with 20 Shahed kamikaze drones — all of them hit the city. Residents heard 17 explosions in the Osnovianskyi district, two in the Kyivskyi district, and one in Industrialnyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts.
Three people were injured in the attack, reported Viktor Zabashta, head of the city’s Emergency Medical Center. One of them had abrasions and was hospitalized, and the condition of the other two was assessed as light by medics.
“This is the first time we’ve had so many strikes in one hour,” said Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Russia attacks Kharkiv frequently from beyond the border and from temporarily occupied territories with various weapons—the drone attacks on the city intensified in the last weeks. The scale of Russian attacks on Kharkiv in the first week of April was comparable to the entire month of March.
This time, drones damaged at least seven locations in the city. Gwara Media journalists were at one of the impact sites.
The shelling caused five massive fires. The attack destroyed several houses, damaged over 20 cars, and ruined one car service station. Russians targeted mainly the objects of civil infrastructure.
“Once again, the Russian army attacked civil enterprises, which have no relation to military infrastructure. For example, the confectionary factory in Osnovianskyi district was one of their targets. There also were attacks on open areas,” said Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkiv Oblast Governor.
He added that 10 businesses operated in the damaged facility.
The drone attack hit one of the factory’s buildings and partially destroyed it, breaking windows and damaging the equipment. In the aftermath, workers were sorting through the products, which were covered in glass and dust from the explosion.
“This is a new Russian tactic to frighten our people because this is the civilian infrastructure of the city, a manufacturing enterprise, Kharkiv’s entrepreneurs. Of course, they are scared,” said Ihor Terekhov to Suspilne, a Ukrainian media.
Now, homeowners factory workers, and municipal services are repairing the buildings, damaged in Russian attacks.
Cover photo: Factory building damaged in Russian drone strike on Kharkiv on April 8, 2025 / Hnat Holyk, Gwara Media
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