Two children among seven dead in Russian missile strikes in Ukraine

Russian missile strikes have killed seven people in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.

The death toll includes two children, the region's governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Mr Syniehubov said the ballistic missile damaged a five-storey residential building in Kharkiv.

More than 10 people were also injured in the strike, including three children, officials said.

Rescuers have begun clearing the rubble and continue their search for more people who may have been buried when the building collapsed.

The impact destroyed the entrance and damaged the upper floors of a neighbouring building.

The deaths came as Russia unleashed a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight on Saturday.

Across the city, seven residential apartment buildings, commercial and administrative buildings, electricity distribution ​lines, and cars were also damaged by the Russian ⁠attacks, Mr Syniehubov said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had launched 480 drones ‌and 29 missiles targeting vital infrastructure ​across the country.

He said most of the drones were Shaheds, a type of Iranian-designed drone which Russia has used to batter Ukraine repeatedly since the invasion began four years ago.

Mr Zelenskyy said Russia had targeted energy facilities in Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions, and the railway in the Zhytomyr region.

Damage was reported in the Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Cherkasy regions, Mr Zelenskyy said.

Air defence systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones, with hits from nine missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations, preliminary data shows.

"There should be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life," Mr Zelenskyy ​said on Telegram.

"Russia ⁠has not abandoned its ⁠attempts to destroy Ukraine's residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support should ‌continue."

Read more:
Boos and boycotts as Russian flag returns to Winter Paralympics
Ukraine peace talks could be postponed due to Iran war

Mr Zelenskyy urged the country's partners to continue air defence and weapons supplies.

In the Kyiv region, damage from debris was reported in three districts, local authorities said.

In the southern Odesa region, 80 firefighters were called in to battle major blazes at infrastructure facilities following a drone attack.

Russia has launched its own large-scale domestic production of Shahed drones, which have played a prominent role in Iran's response to US-Israeli strikes, which began a week ago.

A new round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine, planned for this week, has been postponed due to the war in the Middle East.

(c) Sky News 2026: Two children among seven dead in Russian missile strikes in Ukraine