Ukraine insists there were no military at the hotel hit by Russian missiles. Image: STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE/REUTERS
Russian missiles destroy the Kharkiv hotel during the war in Ukraine.
The governor of Kharkiv reports that two Russian missiles hit a hotel in the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, injuring eleven persons.
The hotel was severely damaged, and firefighters were present, according to images from the Ukrainian State Emergency Service.
Turkish journalists were among the injured, according to Governor Oleh Synehubov.
He added that at around 22:30 (20:30 GMT), two S-300 missiles made contact.
In the last two weeks, Russia has increased the number of airstrikes against Ukrainian cities.
Dozens of civilians have reportedly perished in those drone and missile attacks, according to Ukrainian officials.
Since President Vladimir Putin began his full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kharkiv, which is only 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border, has sustained significant damage from Russian airstrikes.
Nine people were hurt in the most recent attack and were transported to the hospital, including a 35-year old man who was in critical condition, the governor announced via the messaging app Telegram.
According to the mayor of the city, Ihor Terekhov, who was cited by the Ukrainian news agency Unian, 30 civilians were present in the hotel at the time, but “there were no military at all” there. It’s in the central Kyiv district of the city.
He claimed that other neighbouring houses and vehicles had also sustained damage.
On December 30, Russian officials claim that 25 civilians were killed when Ukrainian missiles and drones struck Belgorod, a city located 74 km north of Kharkiv.
For three weeks, Russia has been relocating hundreds of children from Belgorod to vacation areas farther from Ukraine.
According to state TV, 93 people arrived in a camp in the Voronezh region on Wednesday, while 280 more people arrived in the Kaluga region later. Teachers will also be joining the camp.
During a visit to Lithuania on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed Western partners to supply more air defence weapons.
The Baltic state is one of Ukraine’s most steadfast friends in supporting Kyiv’s defence against Russian forces. “What we lack most is air defence systems.
the struggle against unmanned aerial vehicles. In Vilnius, he declared, “I am pleased that we have agreements with Lithuania and many other partners.”
Former Soviet states Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, along with their two neighbouring Baltic states, are now members of NATO.
According to Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Lithuania is the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine in terms of GDP.
But by far the biggest assistance to Ukraine’s defence has come from the US.
According to Mr. Zelensky, who was cited by Interfax-Ukraine, Vladimir Putin “will not calm down until he destroys Ukraine”. “He wants to occupy us completely.
And occasionally, the Russian Federation gains bravery and strength from our partners’ scepticism regarding our financial and military support for Ukraine and their prompt action.”
The Baltic republics and Moldova “may be next,” he warned, adding that the Russian leader “won’t finish this [war], until we all finish him together.”
The Ukrainian president has been in close communication with Western partners in recent days in an effort to keep up essential armament supplies.
Little progress was made by Kyiv’s counteroffensive in the latter part of last year, and Western observers have questioned Kyiv’s tactics, raising doubts about the war’s financial implications.
NATO countries are finding it difficult to increase production of artillery shells and other heavy weapons, as Russia has now committed to significantly increased military spending.
A Hungarian veto has put a €50 billion (£43 billion; $55 billion) EU aid plan for Ukraine in limbo, while the divided US Congress is dragging its feet over a fresh round of military aid.
NATO announced on Wednesday that it intended to give Ukraine “billions of euros of further capabilities” this year following a video conference with the Ukrainian government.
According to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of NATO, “Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including with weapons from North Korea and Iran, are strongly condemned.”
