Death toll in Kharkiv rises to five, city declares day of mourning

The number of injured has grown to 20, including six children - the youngest is six years old.

Aug. 18 has been declared the day of mourning.

The State Emergency Service reported that the fifth victim’s body was recovered from the rubble of a destroyed building. Two children were killed — a one-and-a-half-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy.

Emergency and rescue operations, as well as fire extinguishing, are ongoing. Nearly 140 rescuers and 39 units of equipment are working at the strike site, with canine teams and bomb disposal specialists also deployed.

Late in the evening of Aug. 17, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile at residential areas in Kharkiv’s Industrial District. Shahed drones struck a multi-story apartment building, sparking fires. Initial reports cited three dead and 17 injured. Two more people were rescued from the rubble.

The Russian forces attacked Ukraine with four ballistic missiles and 140 drones in total overnight, 88 of which were intercepted by air defenses.