KHARKIV, Ukraine — A quiet residential neighborhood in Kharkiv was transformed into a scene of devastation overnight after Russian forces launched a targeted strike using guided aerial bombs. The attack, which struck the city’s western Kholodnohirskyi district, heavily damaged more than 40 private homes and a commercial warehouse, leaving at least nine people wounded—including four children.

According to Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov and Mayor Ihor Terekhov, the strikes utilized highly destructive guided aerial bombs (often referred to as CABs or glide bombs). These weapons, which carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives and are equipped with guidance wings, have increasingly been used to pummel Ukrainian cities near the front lines.

The bombardment struck without warning, immediately triggering a massive fire at the impact site. Emergency crews rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames and pull residents from the rubble of splintered timber and shattered concrete.

While initial reports detailed five casualties, local officials later updated the count to nine as search and rescue teams thoroughly combed through the damaged sector. Among the wounded were four children. First responders reported that the children primarily suffered from acute stress reactions—severe psychological trauma caused by the sheer force and terror of the blasts rocking their homes as they slept.

"More than 40 private homes were damaged as a result of the attack," Mayor Terekhov confirmed on his Telegram channel, adding that municipal workers were already on the ground boarding up windows and evaluating the structural integrity of the remaining buildings.

The strike on Kholodnohirskyi comes amidst an ongoing, relentless aerial campaign against Kharkiv. Just days prior to this attack, the city observed an official day of mourning for five emergency service workers who were killed in a brutal "double-tap" strike in the exact same district. In that incident, Russian forces waited for rescuers to arrive at a bombing site before launching a second wave of drones to maximize casualties.

Local authorities continue to urge residents to heed air raid sirens immediately, as the proximity of Kharkiv to the Russian border leaves civilians with mere minutes—and sometimes seconds—to find shelter when guided bombs are released.

Investigations into the full extent of the property damage and the medical conditions of the hospitalized adults are ongoing.