RismadarVoice Reporters
June 20, 2026
Russian aerial attacks on several Ukrainian cities have left multiple civilians dead and others injured, including children, as fighting between the two countries continues to intensify.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, a Russian-guided bomb struck a residential apartment building in the early hours of Saturday, killing at least one person and injuring nine others, according to local authorities.
Emergency workers later recovered a victim’s body from beneath the rubble of the damaged building in the city’s Kholodnohirskyi district. Officials said five of the injured required hospital treatment, while a six-year-old child was among those hurt in the attack.
Kharkiv Mayor, Ihor Terekhov and regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the casualties, describing the strike as another assault on civilian infrastructure.
The violence extended beyond Kharkiv. Authorities reported that a Russian drone attack on Friday evening hit a civilian vehicle in the region, killing a man and injuring a woman who was driving.
In northern Ukraine, guided aerial bombs struck the outskirts of Sumy, resulting in the death of another civilian and causing damage to at least 20 private homes, according to regional officials.
Further south, the city of Zaporizhzhia also came under attack. Local authorities said Russian strikes killed four people and wounded six others after guided bombs hit populated areas.
Russian officials did not immediately comment on the reported attacks.
Ukraine’s Air Force said its air defence systems intercepted 92 of the 99 drones launched by Russian forces overnight. However, several drones reportedly reached their targets in different locations across the country.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed it had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian drone offensive targeting its territory. Authorities in the Tyumen region of western Siberia said air defence units intercepted drones approaching an oil refinery, adding that there were no casualties or significant damage.
The latest developments come amid an ongoing escalation in drone warfare between both countries. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy infrastructure in an effort to disrupt revenue streams that support Moscow’s military operations.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces reportedly carried out one of their largest drone operations since the war began, striking a major oil refinery near Moscow and causing significant disruption to air traffic.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces shot down 177 Ukrainian drones overnight, including two that were intercepted while approaching Moscow. Officials did not specify whether any drones successfully reached their intended targets.
