At least 21 people, including five children, injured as Russia bombs Ukraine

At least 21 people including five children were wounded when Russian forces bombed Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian officials said early on Monday.

Thirteen people were wounded in separate attacks on an apartment building and storage space in Kharkiv and another eight in the city of Chuhuiv just to the southeast, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Regional prosecutors said Russia had struck Kharkiv, which has come under frequent attack, with guided bombs and Chuhuiv from a multiple rocket-launch system. Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Two people were also killed in southern Ukraine’s Kherson late on Sunday after Russian forces shelled the center of the front-line city, regional officials said.

Russia has denied targeting civilians in its full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022, but regularly hits towns and cities behind the front line.