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At least two people killed and scores injured in Russian strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Copyright  AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
Copyright AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
By Emma De Ruiter
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Authorities said the body of a three-year-old boy was recovered from the rubble of a destroyed apartment building after the attack.

At least two people were killed and scores were injured after a Russian strike destroyed a five-story apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Friday.

Authorities said the body of a three-year-old boy was recovered from the rubble of the destroyed apartment building after the attack. The body of a woman was later also found, according to Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov.

The attack also destroyed other civilian infrastructure, a shopping centre and cars, local authorities said.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. AP Photo/Andrii Marienko

At least 19 people were injured, including a six-month-old baby, authorities added. 16 people were brought to hospitals for treatment.

"According to our information, there may be more people under the rubble. The elimination of consequences is ongoing," Syniehubov said after the attack. "Everyone works in the field. Right now, the main thing is to save as many people as possible."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack "heinous" in a post on X. "Unfortunately, this is how the Russians treat life and people – they continue killing, despite all efforts by the world, and especially by the United States, in the diplomatic process," he added.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry denied the attack took place, instead blaming an explosion at the site caused by Ukrainian ammunition in a post on Telegram.

Earlier Friday, Russia conducted what local authorities called “one of the most massive” drone attacks at Zaporizhzhia. At least nine drones struck the city, damaging dozens of residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure but causing no casualties, according to Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional administration.

Additional sources • AP

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