Russian missiles kill 7 as Moscow presses into Kharkiv

Firefighters put out a fire after a Russian missile hit a large printing house in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, May 23, 2024.

Russian missiles slammed into Ukraine’s second-largest city in the northeast of the country and killed at least seven civilians early Thursday, according to officials.

The attack comes as Kyiv’s army attempted to hold off an intense cross-border offensive from the Kremlin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy called the attack "extremely brutal" on X, where he also said Russian troops were taking advantage of Ukraine's lack of air protection.

The city of Kharkiv, is located about 20 kilometres from the Russian border. Moscow’s troops have captured villages in the area as part of a broad push in recent weeks, as analysts say they may be trying to get within artillery range of the city.

The push is shaping up to be Ukraine’s biggest test since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 as outnumbered and poorly armed Ukrainian forces are being pressured at several points along the 1,000 kilometre front line.

Ukraine's army has been pushed backwards as Russia has pounded its power grid as well as civilian areas.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the attacks underscored the country's “urgent” need for more US-made Patriot systems. Germany recently pledged one of the missile systems "but getting six more as soon as possible remains critical not only for Ukraine’s survival but for peace in Europe,” Kuleba wrote on the social media platform X.

Zelenskyy said the main hotspots in recent fighting have been Kharkiv and the neighbouring Donetsk region.

Russia’s defence ministry has said that forces had taken control of the Donetsk settlement of Andriivka.

Elsewhere in Donetsk, Russian forces claimed advances in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar, Konstantinovka and Rozdolivka.

It was not possible to independently verify Russia's claims.