Extract from ABC News
Two Russian missiles have struck a hotel in Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv, injuring 13 people including two foreign journalists.
Key points:
- One of the 13 injured is in a "very serious condition"
- Kharkiv is located 30 kilometres from the Russian border
- Several other buildings were also damaged in the strike
The strikes on Wednesday evening came as both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of inflicting dozens of civilian casualties in a sharp escalation of attacks.
"Thirteen people were injured," including a Turkish citizen and a Georgian, the prosecutor general's office said on Thursday.
"Two missiles hit a hotel in the centre of Kharkiv. There were no military personnel there. Instead, there were 30 civilians," Mayor Igor Terekhov posted on Telegram.
One of the wounded is in a "very serious condition" he said, adding that "Turkish journalists are among the victims".
Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, said S-300 missiles were fired from the Russian frontier region of Belgorod, adding that a 35-year-old man was hospitalised in serious condition".
Several other buildings, including two apartment blocks, were also reported damaged in the latest strike.
"In addition to the hotel, residential buildings were affected -- one communal, one private, a car dealership and a manufacturing enterprise," Mayor Terekhov said.
Located about 30 kilometres from the Russian border, Ukraine's second-largest city has seen regular and often deadly aerial assaults.
Across the border, the Russian defence ministry said it had downed four Ukrainian drones over the Tula, Kaluga and Rostov regions.
Voronezh region governor Aleksandr Gusev also reported that a Ukrainian drone had hit "the roof of a non-residential building" overnight, although said there was "no harm done".
Zelenskyy rules out a ceasefire with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday ruled out a ceasefire as his country fights off the Russian invasion, saying the Kremlin's forces would use the pause to rearm and regroup in order to overwhelm Kyiv's troops.
"A pause on the Ukrainian battlefield will not mean a pause in the war," Mr Zelenskyy said during a visit to Estonia.
"A pause would play into [Russia's] hands. It might crush us afterward."
Limited ceasefires have occasionally been proposed since Russia launched its full-scale war in February 2022 but have never taken hold.
Mr Zelenskyy was in the Estonian capital of Tallinn as part of a two-day swing through Baltic countries, which have been among Ukraine's staunchest supporters.
He met with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who gave him a shirt with the Estonian word "Kaitsetahe" — "The will to defend" — printed on the front, which Mr Zelenskyy wore as he addressed parliament.
"Tyranny must be defeated. Tyranny must be a loser," Mr Zelenskyy said.
"Always. Always. Always."
Estonian President Alar Karis, appearing with Mr Zelenskyy at the Presidential Palace, told journalists "Ukraine needs more, it needs better weapons".
"We must boost military production capabilities so that Ukraine may get what it needs," he said.
"And it's not tomorrow, they should get it today."
AFP
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