Russia launched missile attacks on Ukraine overnight and on Saturday, killing eight people and wounding 12 others, officials said.

Kharkiv region governor Oleh Syniehubov said a missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, killed six people and injured 11 others. The attacks damaged residential buildings, petrol stations, kindergartens, cafes, shops and cars.

Further attacks in Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon left one person dead and another injured, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Another missile attack killed one civilian, Odessa’s southern regional governor Ole Kiper reported.

Russia launched 32 Iranian-made Shahd drones and six missiles into Ukraine overnight, according to air force commanders. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down three cruise missiles and 28 drones, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement. “Russian killers continue to terrorize Ukrainians and attack Kharkiv and other peaceful cities,” he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the overnight attacks targeted Ukrainian military industrial enterprises that “produce and repair armored vehicles, vehicles, drones” as well as “military airports” and areas where “foreign mercenaries” are said to be stationed. The ministry claimed that all set targets had been achieved.

It also said Ukraine launched a Vampire rocket towards Russia on Saturday morning. The Russian Defense Ministry said that all 10 aircraft were shot down by air defense systems over the border area of ​​Belgorod, Russia.

Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the rocket was shot down as it approached the city of Belgorod, the capital of the region of the same name, adding that 12 residential buildings in the city were hit. destroy. In a nearby village, a private house was burned and several other buildings were damaged, Gladkov said.

It was unclear from his statement whether the damage was caused by falling fragments of intercepted rockets or whether some of those fragments actually hit the buildings.

ground combat

The commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that Russian troops were advancing in Ukraine and it would be “difficult” to fight back against them.

Serkesi said the situation in the Bakhmut region of the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region was particularly challenging. He said Russian forces were conducting offensive operations day and night, using commandos supported by armored vehicles and assaults on foot.

Fierce fighting is taking place east of the town of Chasiv Yar, which Ukraine still controls and is located near the occupied city of Bahmut.

Silsky said on the messaging app Telegram that Russian troops were trying to break through the defense lines there, adding, “Chasiv Yar remains under our control and all enemy attempts to break through the settlement have failed. “

The official said the heaviest fighting was taking place in Pervomysky and Vodiani near Avdievka, another city in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region. He also said there was tension in the southern and northeastern areas of the front line.