Ukraine said on Monday that the Russian bombing of Kharkiv has killed dozens of civilians and wounded hundreds more.
The Ukrainian general staff tweeted that an indiscriminate bombing of Kharkiv left “dozens of dead and hundreds of wounded Ukrainian citizens.”
«Російські окупанти масовано обстріляли житлові квартали Харкова. Десятки загиблих і сотні поранених українських громадян».https://t.co/OKPx2fesiT
— Генеральний штаб ЗСУ (@GeneralStaffUA) February 28, 2022
Kharkiv, located on the northeastern side of Ukraine, has seen heavy fighting since the Russian invasion began.
Russian troops entered the city, which is home to 1.5 million people, on Sunday, but Ukrainian officials said that the attack was successfully repelled and that Russian troops across the city were surrendering in groups of five to 10.
Russian bombs blew up a natural gas pipeline by Kharkiv on Saturday, causing a fire and a mushroom cloud to appear. Ukrainian officials warned residents to cover windows with a damp cloth to provide smoke protection.
FULL COVERAGE OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE
Kharkiv’s governor wrote on Facebook that “control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Police, Teroborona, a complete cleaning of the city from the enemy is happening.”
Sen. Marco Rubio warned on Twitter that images of Russian aggression in Kharkiv would “shock and outrage the world.” This statement came after reports that Russia had used cluster bombs on the city, a munition that has been widely condemned and banned from use in 121 countries.
An American official said that due to the Russians’ inability to capture key Ukrainian cities, they could be adopting a “siege” mentality, which could increase the possibility of civilian casualties, according to Reuters.
500,000+ REFUGEES FLEE UKRAINE SINCE RUSSIA WAGED WAR
Ukraine’s Ministry of the Interior said that as of Sunday, there have been 352 civilian casualties, including 14 children and hundreds more wounded.
The United Nations estimated that 500,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since the war began. Poland has welcomed the majority of refugees, reportedly receiving over 281,000.
