UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Jun. 15 — Russian troops hit Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, about 19 miles from the Russian border, with 54 airstrikes over the past week, using mostly Shahed kamikaze drones, first-person view (FPV) drones, and a jet-powered kamikaze drone, reported city mayor Ihor Terekhov. 

The mayor said that the attacks hit eight out of nine districts of the city, injuring 48 civilians, including five children. Russia targeted civilian infrastructure: residential high-rise buildings, private residences, office buildings, cars, a dentist clinic, cafes, and a church, damaging their facades, roofs, and windows. 

Russia also damaged the Kharkiv Art Museum, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century following the project of Oleksii Beketov (previously, the building served as the Sunday Women’s School of Khrystyna Alchevska). The drone attack caused a fire in the attic of the museum, which then spread to the roof. 

During the week, Terekhov says, the air raid alarm sounded 64 times — and the overall time of air raid threat amounted to 93 hours. 

Gwara’s journalists have been to the impact site of the Russian attack last week: check out some of the photo reports here and here. If you want to support our newsroom, based in Kharkiv, leave a tip via buying us a $5 coffee or subscribe to our community long-term. 

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