Russian Drone Strikes Claim Life in Kharkiv Region, Injure Many in Chernihiv

Russian attacks overnight resulted in one fatality in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and left several others injured in the northern city of Chernihiv, according to regional officials on Tuesday.

A private business was struck in the small town of Balakliia, located in the Kharkiv region, which shares a border with Russia. This incident claimed the life of one worker and injured several others, reported Vitali Karabanov, the head of the town’s military administration, via Telegram.

These attacks occurred shortly after Russian and Ukrainian delegations convened in Turkey for peace negotiations, during which Moscow stated it would only agree to a ceasefire if Kyiv relinquished certain territories and accepted restrictions on its military size.

Ukraine has consistently dismissed these Russian demands, interpreting them as equivalent to surrender.

Falling debris from drones in Chernihiv resulted in several fires, affecting residential buildings, as Dmytro Bryzhynskyi, the head of the city’s military administration, indicated on Telegram.

Bryzhynskyi reported that four individuals were hospitalized, while Ukraine’s State Emergency Service noted that another 20 individuals, including eight children, received medical aid on site.

The service shared images on its Telegram account showing firefighters combating flames in the darkness and medical personnel assisting a group of children.

In Odesa, a southern port city, Russian airstrikes over the night caused damage to residential structures and civilian infrastructure; however, no injuries were reported, as stated by Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov on Telegram.

The full extent of the overnight Russian assaults on Ukraine remains unclear. There was no immediate response from Moscow, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the Ukrainian accounts.

Both parties claim they do not target civilians in the war that Russia initiated in February 2022. Nevertheless, thousands of civilians have lost their lives in the conflict, with the vast majority being Ukrainian.