{"id":152521,"date":"2025-06-07T12:48:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T12:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/kharkiv-hit-by-most-powerful-attack-since-start-of-war-as-kyiv-calls-for-extra-pressure-on-moscow-russia-ukraine-war-live-the-guardian\/"},"modified":"2025-06-07T12:48:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-07T12:48:14","slug":"kharkiv-hit-by-most-powerful-attack-since-start-of-war-as-kyiv-calls-for-extra-pressure-on-moscow-russia-ukraine-war-live-the-guardian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/kharkiv-hit-by-most-powerful-attack-since-start-of-war-as-kyiv-calls-for-extra-pressure-on-moscow-russia-ukraine-war-live-the-guardian\/","title":{"rendered":"Kharkiv hit by \u2018most powerful attack since start of war\u2019 as Kyiv calls for extra pressure on Moscow \u2013 Russia-Ukraine war live – The Guardian"},"content":{"rendered":"

At least three people killed and a further 21 injured after nighttime attack involving drones, missiles and guided bombs, mayor says
Russia<\/strong> on Saturday accused Ukraine<\/strong> of postponing a large-scale prisoner swap and the repatriation of the bodies of dead soldiers they had agreed on during peace talks in Istanbul<\/strong>.
\u201cThe Ukrainian side has unexpectedly postponed for an indefinite period, both the acceptance of the bodies and the exchange of prisoners of war,\u201d Russia\u2019s top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky<\/strong> said on social media, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Russian defence ministry<\/strong> said on Saturday that Ukraine<\/strong> is refraining from setting a date for the new round of prisoner exchange, agreed by Russian and Ukrainian delegations at talks in Istanbul<\/strong> earlier this week, reports Reuters.
\u201cThe Russian side has provided the Ukrainian side with a list of 640 names, but the Ukrainian side is currently refraining from setting a date for the return of these individuals and the transfer of the corresponding number of Russian prisoners of war,\u201d the ministry said in a statement, citing Lt Gen Alexander Zorin<\/strong>.
Kremlin<\/strong> aide Vladimir Medinsky<\/strong> said earlier on Saturday that Ukraine had unexpectedly postponed exchanging prisoners of war and accepting the bodies of killed soldiers for an indefinite period.
A Ukrainian<\/strong> drone attack last weekend likely damaged about 10% of Russia<\/strong>\u2019s strategic bomber fleet and hit some of the aircraft as they were being prepared for strikes on Ukraine, a senior German<\/strong> military official said, reports Reuters.
\u201cAccording to our assessment, more than a dozen aircraft were damaged, TU-95 and TU-22 strategic bombers as well as A-50 surveillance planes,\u201d German Maj Gen Christian Freuding<\/strong> said in a YouTube podcast reviewed by Reuters before its publication later on Saturday.
The affected A-50s, which function similarly to Nato\u2019s AWACS (airborne warning and control system) aircraft<\/strong> by providing aerial situational awareness, were likely non-operational when they were hit, said the general who coordinates Berlin<\/strong>\u2019s military aid to Kyiv<\/strong> and is in close touch with the Ukrainian defence ministry<\/strong>.
\u201cWe believe that they can no longer be used for spare parts. This is a loss, as only a handful of these aircraft exist,\u201d he said. \u201cAs for the long-range bomber fleet, 10% of it has been damaged in the attack according to our assessment.\u201d
The United States<\/strong> estimates that Ukraine\u2019s drone attack hit as many as 20 Russian warplanes, destroying about 10 of them, two US officials told Reuters, and experts say Moscow<\/strong> will take years to replace the affected planes.
Despite the losses, Freuding does not see any immediate reduction of Russian strikes against Ukraine, noting that Moscow still retains 90% of its strategic bombers which can launch ballistic and cruise missiles in addition to dropping bombs. He said:
<\/path><\/svg>But there is, of course, an indirect effect as the remaining planes will need to fly more sorties, meaning they will be worn out faster, and, most importantly, there is a huge psychological impact.
Freuding said Russia had felt safe in its vast territory, which also explained why there was little protection for the aircraft. He added:
<\/path><\/svg>After this successful operation, this no longer holds true. Russia will need to ramp up the security measures.
According to Freuding, Ukraine attacked two airfields about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Moscow, as well as the Olenya airfield<\/strong> in the Murmansk<\/strong> region and the Belaya airfield<\/strong>, with drones trained with the help of artificial intelligence. A fifth attack on the Ukrainka airfield<\/strong> near the Chinese<\/strong> border failed, he said.
The bombers that were hit were part of Russia\u2019s nuclear triad which enables nuclear weapons deployment by air, sea and ground, he added.
Germany\u2019s armed forces have three years to acquire the equipment to tackle a possible Russian attack on Nato territory, its head of military procurement said, AFP reports.
\u201cEverything necessary to be fully prepared to defend the country must be acquired by 2028,\u201d Annette Lehnigk-Emden<\/strong>, head of the Federal Office for Military Procurement, told the Tagesspiegel newspaper.
Chief of defence General Carsten Breuer<\/strong> recently warned that Russia could be in a position to \u201claunch a large-scale attack against NATO territory\u201d as early as 2029.
He said there was a Russian build-up of ammunition and tanks for a possible attack on NATO\u2019s Baltic members.
Lehnigk-Emden stressed that Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s new government was enabling the upgrade by allocating hundreds of billions of euros for defence. She said the priority would be for heavy equipment such as Skyranger anti-aircraft tanks.
We\u2019re hearing more now from Russia\u2019s negotiator Vladimir Medinsky<\/strong>, accusing Ukraine of pulling out of the prisoner swap, posted on Telegram and translated by Reuters:
<\/path><\/svg>\u201cIn strict accordance with the Istanbul agreements, on June 6, Russia began a humanitarian operation to hand over to Ukraine more than 6,000 bodies of killed Ukrainian servicemen, as well as to exchange wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war and prisoners of war under the age of 25,\u201d Medinsky said.
He said that 1,212 bodies of killed Ukrainian soldiers were in refrigerated containers at the exchange point. Russia has also handed over to Ukraine the first list of 640 prisoners of war, categorised as \u201cwounded, seriously ill and young people,\u201d in order to begin the exchange, Medinsky added.
\u201cThe Russian Defence Ministry\u2019s contact group is on the border with Ukraine,\u201d he said, adding that Ukrainian negotiators were not at the exchange location.
Medinsky urged Ukraine to strictly adhere to the schedule and the agreements, and to immediately proceed with the exchange.
\u201cWe are on site. We are fully prepared to work. International TV channels, news agencies and correspondents are welcome to come and see for themselves that this is indeed the case,\u201d he said.
Ukrainian officials responsible for the exchanges did not respond to a request for comment.
AFP provides some more detail after Russia<\/a> accused Ukraine of postposting a planned POW swap between the countries:
<\/path><\/svg>Delegations from Moscow<\/strong> and Kyiv<\/strong> agreed on Monday to swap all wounded soldiers and those under the age of 25 who were still held as POWs.
It was the only concrete outcome from the talks, at which Russia has repeatedly rejected Ukrainian calls for an immediate ceasefire.
[Russia\u2019s negotiator] Vladimir Medinsky said Russia had brought the bodies of 1,212 killed Ukrainian soldiers to the \u201cexchange area\u201d \u2013 the first of 6,000 to be handed over.
Moscow had also handed over a list to Kyiv with the names of 640 POWs to be swapped in the first stage.
More than 1,000 prisoners from each side are set to be released in the largest exchange of the three-year conflict.
\u201cWe urge Kyiv to strictly adhere to the timetable and all agreements reached, and begin the exchange immediately,\u201d Medinsky said.
Kyiv did not immediately respond to the accusation.
After the peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/strong> said the exchange would take place this weekend, while Russia said it was ready for Saturday, Sunday or Monday.
Russia<\/strong> on Saturday accused Ukraine<\/strong> of postponing a large-scale prisoner swap and the repatriation of the bodies of dead soldiers they had agreed on during peace talks in Istanbul<\/strong>.
\u201cThe Ukrainian side has unexpectedly postponed for an indefinite period, both the acceptance of the bodies and the exchange of prisoners of war,\u201d Russia\u2019s top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky<\/strong> said on social media, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Russian<\/strong> forces carried out strikes using high-precision long-range weapons and drones on military targets in Ukraine<\/strong> overnight, the Russian defence ministry<\/strong> said on Saturday.
\u201cThe objective of the strikes has been achieved. All designated targets have been hit,\u201d the ministry said, according to Reuters.
Four Ukrainian unmanned boats have also been destroyed in the Black Sea<\/strong>, Russian news agencies reported, citing the ministry.
Here are some more images coming in from Kharkiv<\/strong> today:
In the Dnipropetrovsk<\/strong> province, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local governor Serhii Lysak<\/strong>, reports Associated Press (AP). <\/p>\n

Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson<\/strong>, close to the frontlines, local governor Oleksandr Prokudin<\/strong> reported in a Facebook post.
Kharkiv<\/strong>\u2019s regional governor Oleh Syniehubov<\/strong> has shared that, as well as a baby boy (see 9.58am BST<\/a>), a 14-year-old girl is among the 21 people injured in an overnight attack on the city.
Ukrainian<\/strong> foreign minister Andrii Sybiha <\/strong>has described Russia<\/strong> as continuing \u201cits terror against civilians\u201d, after at least three people were killed in an overnight attack on Kharkiv<\/strong>.
\u201cTo put an end to Russia\u2019s killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine,\u201d he said.
Posting on X on Saturday morning, Sybiha wrote:
<\/path><\/svg>Russia continues its terror against civilians. Hundreds of drones and missiles rained down on Ukraine overnight.
Kharkiv had a particularly terrible night. 53 drones, four guided aerial bombs, and one missile. At least three people were killed, with 21 injured.
There were strikes throughout Ukraine-in the Donetsk, Dnipro, Ternopil, Odesa, and other regions. People were injured and killed, and the energy infrastructure was also damaged.
To put an end to Russia\u2019s killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine. Russia is a terrorist state, and it must be called such. It has already done more than enough to earn this title.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow<\/strong> on the latest attack.<\/p>\n

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At least three people killed and a further 21 injured after nighttime attack involving drones, missiles and guided bombs, mayor saysRussia on Saturday accused Ukraine of postponing a large-scale prisoner swap and the repatriation of the bodies of dead soldiers they had agreed on during peace talks in Istanbul.\u201cThe Ukrainian side has unexpectedly postponed for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":152522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152521\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}