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The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been hit by 53 artillery and missile launches in the past 24 hours, a regional official said on Wednesday, as Russian forces pushed further towards eastern Ukraine.
“Our armed forces are constantly fighting to prevent the enemy from advancing into the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” announced Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv regional state administration, on Telegram.
“The Russians continue to terrorize civilians,” he added. “Unfortunately, 22 civilians, including three children, have been injured by shelling in the area over the past 24 hours. Seven people died.”
Emergency responders are on the scene after a Russian missile attack destroyed a building in downtown Kharkiv (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
Kharkiv is about 30 miles from the Russian border and lies on a major thoroughfare that invading forces must take to travel south towards the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
A senior US defense official told reporters on Tuesday that Russian forces would likely remain on the streets while Moscow tries to send a second convoy to Ukraine, this time towards the eastern front.
The changing spring weather means a ground invasion could prove more difficult for Russia, and heavily armored vehicles will be prevented from driving off-road as the terrain thaws.
Despite nearly 50 days of heavy shelling, Synegubov advised Kharkiv residents not to evacuate, saying: “Every day our armed forces destroy a lot of Russian equipment and manpower.”
“Believe in our defenders and stay calm,” he added.
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a closer view of a convoy of Russian military vehicles along the T-1313 highway near Bilokurakyne, Ukraine, on Monday April 11, 2022. (©2022 Maxar Technologies via AP)
RUSSIAN CONVOY HEADS EAST UKRAINE, DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS WEATHER WILL FORCE TROOPS TO STAY ON ROADS
It’s unclear if the Russian convoy was responsible for any of the shells aimed at Kharkiv over the past 24 hours, but a senior US security official said Tuesday it didn’t appear Ukrainian forces had started targeting the convoy meet.
The Russian troops are believed to be transporting a mix of personnel and armored vehicles in support of what Western officials have described as a “major offensive” now aimed at eastern Ukraine.
The convoy is believed to be about 77 miles south of Kharkiv, outside the town of Izyum — some 16 miles from the Donbas regional border — and is a slow-moving operation.
Exactly where the train of Russian troops is headed is unclear to defense officials.
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It is estimated that Russian forces have maintained just over 80% of their combat capability since invading Moscow 47 days ago.
But officials have also warned that Russia could seek to recruit up to 60,000 more troops to support its deadly campaign.