Russia Targets Kharkiv With Rocket-Powered Drones for the First Time

On April 2, Russian forces launched a series of attacks on Kharkiv using rocket drones, marking the first time the city has been targeted with such weapons, according to Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov.

Terekhov confirmed the new method of assault in a statement shared via Telegram, noting that the attacks began early in the day.

“Since the beginning of the day, the enemy has struck Kharkiv 11 times, all in the Kyivskyi district. The majority of the drones used were rocket-powered, and it is the first time they have been deployed against Kharkiv,” Terekhov stated.

The mayor mentioned that the situation could have been worse, as some of the enemy drones were intercepted and destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

He further warned that additional Russian drones had been detected in the suburbs, potentially heading towards the city. In light of these ongoing threats, Terekhov urged Kharkiv’s residents to take air raid sirens seriously and remain vigilant.

According to the State Emergency Service, as a result of a Russian drone strike on a residential 9-story building in the Shevchenkivskyi district, two people suffered severe stress reactions.

The explosion caused the outer wall of an apartment on the 9th floor to collapse, damaging windows, heating system elements, and three cars. In the neighboring building, balconies were also affected.

Reactive drones are equipped with jet engines, allowing them to achieve much higher speeds than propeller-driven drones. This makes them harder to detect and intercept. They also offer a greater range and can carry heavier payloads, enabling strikes over longer distances with increased destructive power.

During the previous attack, on March 24, a Russian drone strike targeted an electric train in the Kharkiv region, resulting in one fatality and several injuries, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office reported.

The attack took place at approximately 5:20 AM when the drone struck the train traveling from Slatyne to Kharkiv. Initial reports suggest that the Russian military employed an FPV drone for the assault, hitting one of the train's cars while it was stationed at Slatyne station.

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