Officials claim Russia may have deployed a novel type of precision bomb during an assault on the city of Kharkiv.
This attack, occurring on Wednesday, resulted in the tragic loss of at least one life and left 19 individuals injured, including a three-month-old infant. The onslaught not only caused widespread destruction but also led to significant power outages across Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Volodymyr Tymosjko, head of Kharkiv's regional police, identified the weapon as UMPB D-30, describing it as a hybrid between recently utilized Russian precision bombs and missiles.
"It's essentially a flying bomb," Tymosjko explained according to Adressa, highlighting the devastating capabilities of this new weapon.
Oleh Synjehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, condemned the attack, suggesting that Russia appears to be testing their modified bombs on residential areas.
Despite these serious accusations, the Russian government has not yet responded. Historically, Russia has denied targeting civilians directly; however, the conflict initiated by Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, millions displaced, and the destruction of numerous cities.
The attack on Wednesday caused partial destruction of two apartment buildings and a health clinic, with a total of 14 buildings impacted. Kharkiv’s mayor, Іhor Terekhov, reported another attack after midnight, which destroyed a local restaurant.
Adding to the toll, public prosecutors elsewhere in the Kharkiv region disclosed that a 12-year-old boy was killed during a Russian bombardment of the village of Borova, southeast of Kharkiv. Following this attack, police cordoned off a five-story building hit by the strikes. A local resident lamented the unfortunate fate of several individuals, noting, "One person was killed, while others suffered from shrapnel wounds."
The repeated missile and drone attacks on Kharkiv and its surrounding region have been a notable aspect of the conflict, but the use of larger bombs marks a significant escalation. As the war continues, the international community watches closely, with many condemning the indiscriminate violence affecting civilians and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
