Kharkiv attacked by Shahed drones: Burning houses, rescuers among victims
Photo: Kharkiv suffered a massive attack (Getty Images)
Russian troops massively attacked Kharkiv tonight with Shahed drones. The enemy cynically directed drones at residential buildings. In one of the districts, they struck again when rescuers arrived at the scene. The attack resulted in casualties and injuries, including among the employees of the State Emergency Service (SES).
For more information about the Shahed attack on Kharkiv, read the report below.
Sources: Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov; Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov; SES; Chief of Police of the Kharkiv Region Volodymyr Tymoshko; Deputy Chief of the Patrol Police Department of Ukraine Oleksii Biloshytskyi, and the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv RMA, starting from 01:16 am, the enemy released at least 15 enemy drones over Kharkiv, some of which were shot down by air defense forces. Later, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine specified that the enemy attacked the Kharkiv region with 20 Shahed drones, of which 11 were successfully destroyed.
But there were still hits. They were recorded in the Novobavarskyi, Slobidskyi, and Saltivskyi districts of the city.
The first drone hit a three-story building in the Novobavarskyi district. When SES workers arrived to clear the rubble in the three-story residential building, the occupants fired on the site again. As a result, three SES drivers died. A police officer sustained serious injuries. In total, there were four drone hits on civil infrastructure objects in this district. Residential buildings, shops, trade pavilions, pharmacies, cars, and a hospital were damaged.
Another strike hit a 14-story building, damaging apartments between the 8th and the 12th floor. A 68-year-old woman died in this incident.
Later, at 02:49 am, the occupants struck the Saltivskyi district, with no casualties reported.
Overall, the attack damaged three multi-story buildings, three fire and rescue vehicles, two ambulances, a hospital, and a police building in the city.
Fatalities and injuries
Four people, including three SES workers, died as a result of the shelling of two residential buildings. Twelve others were injured. Among the injured is an emergency nurse who arrived at the scene with a brigade to provide assistance, as well as a rescuer.
Among the victims is a 67-year-old man who was trapped in the rubble of a three-story residential building. When rescuers were hit by drones again, an operation to rescue this man was underway; he was trapped under the floor slabs on the third floor.
Around ten emergency workers were involved in the approximately three-hour-long operation. They used manual hydraulic tools and jacks to free the man and handed him over to medical personnel.
Photo and video of the aftermath
As mentioned earlier, one of the Shahed drones hit a three-story residential building, partially destroying its roof and upper floor, and causing a fire. The building was shown by the Mayor of the city, Ihor Terekhov.
Photos: the aftermath of the Shahed drone strike on a three-story building in Kharkiv (facebook.com/ihor.terekhov)
As a result of another enemy drone hitting a 14-story building, balconies on the upper floors were partially destroyed, and glass and structural elements were damaged. Flats from the 8th to the 12th floor were practically destroyed. Photos of the building were released by the Kharkiv RMA and the city council.
Photo: the consequences of the Shahed hitting the 14-story building in Kharkiv (facebook.com/ihor.terekhov, https://www.facebook.com/synegubov.official)
Photo: the consequences of the Shahed hitting the 14-story building in Kharkiv (facebook.com/ihor.terekhov, https://www.facebook.com/synegubov.official)
Photo: the consequences of the Shahed hitting the 14-story building in Kharkiv (facebook.com/ihor.terekhov, https://www.facebook.com/synegubov.official)
SES and ambulances that arrived at the scene were also damaged.
Photo: three units of fire and rescue equipment and two ambulances were damaged in Kharkiv (facebook.com/ihor.terekhov, https://www.facebook.com/synegubov.official)
Police also shared footage of the first moments after the attack. The video was shared by Oleksii Biloshytskyi, Deputy Chief of the Patrol Police Department of Ukraine.
"The terrorist country continues to strike civilians using double strike tactics," said Biloshytskyi.
Serhii Bolvinov, head of the Kharkiv region Police Investigation Department, showed a video of the repeated attack on Kharkiv after all services arrived at the site. The police investigator and the operative who filmed this footage managed to escape. As reported, three employees of the State Emergency Service died on the spot. The Ministry of Internal Affairs gave their names: Lohinov Vladyslav, Baidalinov Serhii, and Matiushenko Volodymyr.
"Vladyslav will forever be 52, Serhii - 32, and Volodymyr - 41. They will remain in our ranks forever," the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.
Photo: SES employees, who died as a result of a repeated strike in Kharkiv (mvs_ukraine)
Yevhen Vasylenko, the spokesman for the SES in the Kharkiv region, explained why the emergency workers did not go to a shelter.
He says that if there is a threat of a second strike, they usually go to the shelter and later continue their work. But this time there was a person under the rubble at the site of the shelling, so "it was necessary to act immediately", but the Russian forces struck again with drones.
He added that, despite this tragedy, the rescuers were still able to complete the search and rescue operation, saving the man.
Why weren't all drones shot down
As the spokesman of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Illia Yevlash said, around 1 am a large batch of Shaheds was recorded. About 10 attack UAVs from the territory of Russia flew to the Kharkiv region and headed directly for the city. A little later, another group of Shaheds was also recorded from the territory of the Mykolaiv region, which was heading to the Kharkiv region through several regions.
According to him, the anti-aircraft defense failed to destroy all the drones from the first group as Kharkiv is close to the borders of the Russian Federation.
"Unfortunately, due to the close distance from the border with the Russian Federation, it was not possible to shoot down all (drones - ed.) of the first batch, which was one of the most massive that night," Yevlash explained.
Zelenskyy's reaction
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the occupiers' attack on Kharkiv, saying that Russia would be held accountable for its actions. He also called on allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defense.
"Russian terrorists will be held accountable for their actions in Kharkiv and for all acts of aggression against our people. We are working with our partners to strengthen the protection of our cities and villages and to protect our citizens. Strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities directly translates into saving lives," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
A strike on Kharkiv, just an ordinary apartment building. With three Shaheds. A despicable and cynical attack, when the rescuers arrived at the scene of the strike, the terrorists attacked again.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 4, 2024
As a result of the attack, 4 people were killed. Among them were our rescuers:… pic.twitter.com/SgIKCdxG0U
Shahed drone had note "For Crocus City Hall"
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office published a photo of the remains of one of the Shaheds that struck Kharkiv overnight. The note on the fragment says "For Crocus City Hall".
Photo: the wreckage of one of the Shaheds, which attacked Kharkiv at night (prokuratura_kharkiv)
To note, on March 22, several armed men opened fire in the Crocus City Hall concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow. According to the latest Russian data, 143 people died as a result of the attack. The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for this terrorist attack almost immediately.
Kharkiv shelling and situation in the city
Kharkiv was left without electricity almost entirely after a massive Russian shelling of the power grid on March 22. Russia targeted over 150 locations across Ukraine during that attack. After this attack, the city faced serious problems with water and heating supply.
Russians often use S-300 missiles to strike the city, fired from the Belgorod region because of the city's proximity to the Russian borders, allowing these projectiles to reach Kharkiv almost instantly. Furthermore, the occupiers increasingly use Shahed drones.
On March 27, for the first time during the war against Ukraine, occupiers launched guided munitions of large caliber on Kharkiv.
Rumors are also circulating about a supposed new offensive on Kharkiv. However, the city authorities assure that there is currently no threat, and this is enemy disinformation.
As for the current situation in the region, Oleh Syniehubov said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that blackouts are still used in Kharkiv and the region after massive strikes on energy facilities. Currently, on average, one house does not have electricity for an average of 4 hours, and in some areas even more.
