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Russia Launches Iskander Cluster Missiles on Kharkiv, Killing Elderly Man and Injuring Dozens

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Vlad Litnarovych
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Russia Launches Iskander Cluster Missiles on Kharkiv, Killing Elderly Man and Injuring Dozens
Aftermath of a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv on April 18, 2025. (Source: place_kharkiv)

Russia launched a missile attack on the city of Kharkiv, striking residential neighborhoods with ballistic missiles reportedly equipped with cluster munitions.

Airstrike left at least one person dead and more than 98 injured, with the number of victims continuing to rise as emergency services search through rubble, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported on April 18.

“One person was killed in their apartment,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed. “There are reports that people may still be trapped under the debris.”

According to the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, the missile strike hit the Osnovianskyi district, damaging residential high-rises and setting off a large fire at a civilian facility.

According to Serhii Vasylenko, a spokesperson for the regional emergency service, emergency responders are battling blazes across 500 square meters of the affected site.

The attack, which occurred shortly after dawn, caused extensive damage throughout the city. Among the injured were several children, including girls aged 3, 4, 14, and 16, as well as a 17-year-old boy.

“At this moment, 13 people have been hospitalized, including two children. Four are in serious condition. Doctors are providing all necessary assistance,” said regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office stated that the missile detonated mid-air, a tactic designed “to maximize civilian casualties.”

Aftermath of a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv, damaged school, April 18, 2025. (Source: UNITED24 Media)
Aftermath of a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv, damaged school, April 18, 2025. (Source: UNITED24 Media)
Aftermath of a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv, damaged school, April 18, 2025. (Source: UNITED24 Media)
Aftermath of a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv, damaged school, April 18, 2025. (Source: UNITED24 Media)

Three Iskander-M ballistic missiles were used in the attack, according to preliminary findings. Officials say the missiles hit a civilian enterprise and multiple densely populated residential areas. More than 50 apartment buildings and over 30 vehicles were damaged in the blast wave.

Law enforcement has recovered missile fragments from the attack sites.

“This was a targeted attack on civilians,” said Terekhov. “We are surveying more than 20 multi-story buildings and over 30 private homes that have been damaged.”

Debris of the Russian Iskander missile, removed from the site of the Russian airstrike on Kharkiv on April 18, 2025. (Source: Kharkiv region Prosecutor’s Office)
Debris of the Russian Iskander missile, removed from the site of the Russian airstrike on Kharkiv on April 18, 2025. (Source: Kharkiv region Prosecutor’s Office)

UPD. As of 10:46 am, Terekhov reported that the number of injured in the Russian strike increased to 79.

UPD2. As of 11:32 am, Syniehubov stated that 87 people were injured in the Russian strike, three of them were in extremely heavy condition.

UPD3. As of 12:40 pm, the number of casualties from the Russian cluster missile strike on Kharkiv increased to 98, Terekhov reported.

Earlier, reports emerged that 618 children have been killed and at least 1,884 injured since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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