At least 51 people, including two children, were injured in a Russian drone strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv late on May 2, according to regional prosecutors. The attack, which involved at least 15 loitering munitions, marked a severe escalation in Russia’s use of lethal drone technologies.
Investigators say the drones, believed to be Iranian-made Shahed-type “Geran-2” models, were armed with thermobaric warheads — weapons known for producing massive blast waves and extreme heat, often resulting in extensive structural damage and civilian casualties.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that four districts across Ukraine’s second-largest city were hit, triggering fires and damaging homes, educational institutions, shops, and businesses. At least eight of the injured remain hospitalized.
“There were not and could not be any military targets,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “Russia is hitting residential buildings at the very time when Ukrainians are at home, when they are putting their children to bed. Only tyrants can give such orders.”
The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, working alongside local police, has launched a pretrial investigation into potential war crimes under Article 438 of Ukraine’s criminal code, citing deliberate violations of international humanitarian law.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that 12 different locations across the city were struck. Emergency responders worked through the night to extinguish fires and assist injured residents.
Escalating Assaults Across Ukraine
The attack on Kharkiv follows a pattern of intensifying Russian aerial assaults on urban areas across Ukraine. In March alone, 164 civilians were killed and 910 injured, according to United Nations data — nearly all in regions controlled by Kyiv.
Russian forces have particularly increased drone and missile attacks on cities including Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kyiv, and Kharkiv.
Despite public Russian declarations about peace negotiations, Ukrainian officials have dismissed Moscow’s rhetoric as manipulative and insincere in light of the continued bombardments.
President Zelensky again urged Ukraine’s international partners to accelerate support for improved air defense systems. “While the world is delaying decisions, almost every night in Ukraine turns into a horror that results in the loss of lives,” he said.
