Russian daytime missile attack on Kharkiv kills at least four people

At least four people have died and others have been injured in a missile attack on the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv during daylight hours on Thursday, Kharkiv military governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on his Telegram channel.

Syniehubov reported that there had been at least 15 strikes by Russian missiles. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that at least seven people had been injured and that others were missing. The strikes had hit transport infrastructure and a private company, he said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the "extremely brutal attack," which took place during peak traffic and not at night, as is usual.

The Russians were exploiting the lack of adequate air defences, he posted on X. Zelensky also said that reliable weapons were needed to strike Russian positions just across Ukraine's border.

Zelensky called for permission to use weapons supplied by the United States and others to hit Russian troops in those areas. For example, Russian forces have recently made incursions across the border into the Kharkiv region.

Ukraine's allies have provided high-tech weapons on condition that they not be used to strike Russian territory.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on Thursday that Western arms deliveries would not prevent Russia from pursuing its war aims.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city by population before the war, has come under repeated aerial attack from drones, missiles and glide bombs.

Some two weeks ago, Russian forces advanced across the border in the region and are now less than 20 kilometres from the city's outskirts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted that the aim is not to occupy Kharkiv, but rather to create a buffer zone to prevent Ukrainian forces from mounting attacks on Belgorod and other Russian cities close to the border.

Military observers say, however, that the Russian forces are aiming to penetrate in depth, rather than along the wide front that would be needed for a buffer zone.

An attempt to seize Kharkiv was beaten off in the early days of the invasion more than two years ago, with Russian forces suffering heavy losses.