Russian Missile Hits Kharkiv’s Derzhprom Building—a Nearly Century-Old Landmark

In the early hours of October 28, Russian forces struck central Kharkiv. Local authorities said residential and administrative buildings were damaged, with hundreds of windows shattered. Among the casualties was Derzhprom—Kharkiv’s iconic landmark and historic heart of the city’s administration, still bustling with offices today.

A symbol of Kharkiv, Derzhprom is one of Ukraine’s first skyscrapers and a prominent feature in the city’s skyline. Standing 63 meters tall—or 108 meters with its television tower—it’s a defining presence in the city.

Derzhprom isn’t just a tall building; it’s also remarkably expansive, covering 60,000 square meters. These figures are impressive, especially considering the period when it was built.

Construction began in 1925 and concluded in 1928, with the official opening held that same year. Over 5,000 workers were involved, with peak periods seeing up to 15,000 workers on-site. Much of the work was done manually, as today’s technology was nonexistent.

At the beginning of construction, the building was built by hand using primitive tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows and horse-drawn carts. By the time it was finished the construction had been mechanized by 80%.

At the time, Derzhprom was one of the first large-scale administrative buildings in a monolithic style. Typically, such structures were reserved for factories, infrastructure, or military installations.

Derzhprom became a small city within the larger city of Kharkiv, offering its thousands of workers amenities like cafeterias, barbershops, cafes, newspaper kiosks, and telephone lines.

The building also withstood Nazi occupation in Kharkiv from 1941 to 1943. Unlike Hitler’s plans for Moscow—to raze it and plant a park—the Nazis spared Derzhprom. The building is considered one of the most significant architectural achievements of the 1920s, on par with the Dessau Bauhaus and the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam. This allowed the structure to fully survive any destruction attempts during World War II.

Ironically, it was Russia that launched an FAB-500 bomb at Derzhprom—the same nation that claims to be the Soviet Union’s successor, the state that once cherished Derzhprom as a jewel of Kharkiv and championed its construction. Historically, it was the Soviet Union’s first skyscraper, erected despite financial hurdles.

Derzhprom is a UNESCO heritage site. Now, the building faces the need for reconstruction.