Russian missile strike kills 2, injures 23 in most destructive attack on Derhachi north of Kharkiv in 2026 (Photos)

Elza Diachenko - 25 May 2026 | 17:33
Damaged business in Derhachi

UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, May 25 — Around 12 p.m., Russian forces launched a missile at Derhachi in the Kharkiv oblast. The attack killed 2 and injured 23 people, said Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv oblast.

Derhachi is a city 3,4 kilometers (~2 miles) northwest of Kharkiv. Last time, Russian forces attacked the city with missiles back in July 2024, said Oleksandr Kulik, head of the information department of the Derhachi city council, to Gwara Media.

Gwara Media’s journalists were at the impact site to record the consequences of the Russian attack.

Damaged business after Russian attack on Derhachi on May 25 / Photo: Gwara Media, Liubov Yemets

According to the Kharkiv regional police, a Russian attack killed two men, aged 68 and 25, and injured at least 21 people. Another two civilians suffered an acute stress reaction.

“This is the biggest number of victims over this year,” said Kulik.

He noted that the local government doesn’t yet know the type of missile Russians used. But they know that it exploded in the air, so the missile’s debris was dropped on the territory of two civilian businesses.

Kulik said that one business produced household goods and the other provided transportation and storage services.

“Both objects are civilian businesses. During the attack, people were on the shift. They were working,” noted Kulik.

The police officers are investigating the impact site after Russian attack on Derhachi on May 25 / Photo: Gwara Media, Liubov Yemets

“We didn’t understand anything because monitors (monitoring Telegram channels people in Ukraine use to be informed of the threats of Russian airstrikes — ed.) wrote that the missile flew in another direction. Suddenly, we heard the explosion, and everything was blown out,” said Yurii, a worker of one of the damaged businesses. During the attack, he and his colleagues were in the office.

“All of our workers survived. It is the most important thing.” Yurii said that the two men killed were employed at the nearby company.

Damaged office after Russian attack on Derhachi on May 25 / Photo: Gwara Media, Liubov Yemets

Yurii said that the attack damaged their company’s trucks and cars — and Kulik added that the employees’ personal automobiles were also damaged.

Man covers his damaged car after Russian attack on Derhachi on May 25 / Photo: Gwara Media, Liubov Yemets

Over the past day, Russian forces attacked Kharkiv and 21 settlements in the region with 67 drones of different types, injuring 17 people.

Read more

  • Russians expand area for using fiber-optic drones in Kharkiv oblast in 2026, military says

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