Five killed in Russian drone assault on Ukraine residence block in Kharkiv

A Russian drone assault on a five-storey residence block within the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv early on Monday (August 18, 2025) killed 5 folks and injured greater than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities mentioned.

The assault, which occurred simply earlier than daybreak, decreased a part of the constructing to rubble and sparked fires on at the very least three flooring, the area’s Governor Oleg Synegubov mentioned on Telegram.

Russia fired 4 drones on the constructing, he mentioned.

Ukraine’s state emergency service posted movies exhibiting rescuers trying to interrupt by way of the rubble to achieve a trapped resident, whereas one other confirmed a flooring in flames.

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“Five folks have been killed, together with a woman aged about one-and-a-half years outdated,” Ukraine’s prosecution service mentioned.

“At least 18 folks have been wounded and suffered acute shock, together with kids.”

The metropolis close to the Russian border was additionally hit hours earlier by a ballistic missile that wounded at the very least 11 folks, Mayor Igor Terekhov mentioned.

Russia additionally struck the southern Odesa area with drones early on Monday (August 18, 2025), sparking a hearth at a gasoline facility, regional governor Oleg Kiper mentioned.

The assaults got here as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his European allies have been anticipated in Washington for talks aimed toward ending the three-and-a-half yr conflict.

Just forward of Zelensky’s arrival within the US capital, US President Donald Trump mentioned Ukraine wouldn’t be capable to reclaim the annexed Crimean peninsula or enter NATO as a part of a peace deal.

Mr. Zelenskyy has repeatedly pushed again in opposition to stress to cede Crimea, the southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Russia, which has been advancing for months on the battlefield, has proposed that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas area in change for freezing the frontline within the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas, the place the primary cities are nonetheless below Kyiv’s management.