With massive bombing of non-military targets, Russia began retaliation for the Ukrainian attack on Belgorod.

According to reports, Russian forces hit the center of Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, with a barrage of missile attacks.

According to the same reports, the well-known Kharkiv Palace hotel, where journalists-correspondents of foreign networks often stay, was hit by a rocket, with the information referring to at least four victims, without specifying their origin, if they were hotel employees, or foreign nationals.

Among other things, an apartment complex was hit and eight people were injured, announced the governor of the Kharkiv region.

Kharkiv

Kharkiv

Watch video immediately after the attack in Kharkiv:

Escalation of the conflict after the attack on Belgorod

Earlier, with dozens of missile attacks and drones in southwestern Russia, Kiev “responded” to the Russian hammering carried out by Moscow since the dawn of Friday.

At least 14 people, 12 adults and two children were killed in Belgorod,” the Russian Emergencies Ministry announced via the Telegram platform, adding that “108 people, including 15 children, were injured.”

The Russian Defense Ministry also said it destroyed dozens of missiles and drones fired at its territory from Ukraine.

“President Vladimir Putin was informed about the Ukrainian army’s attack on Belgorod districts,” Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies.

At least 39 dead and 160 injured in Ukraine in 24 hours

Since yesterday’s missile attacks launched by Russia on Ukrainian territory, including in Kiev, at least 39 people have died and another 160 have been injured. The strikes were described by Kiev as Russia’s biggest missile bombardment in the war so far against Ukraine.

In a briefing on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said nearly 120 villages and towns had been attacked, including hundreds of “civilian objects” damaged.

At least 16 dead in Kiev – Day of mourning on Monday

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitchsko said seven more bodies had been pulled from the rubble of a warehouse that was hit – bringing the total death toll in the city to 16. He described Friday’s attacks in Ukraine as the deadliest for civilians in the capital, declaring a day mourning on Monday.

An initial statement by the Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday said 13 missiles were destroyed over the greater Belgorod region overnight. Later, it reported that 32 drones were shot down overnight in the Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk and Moscow regions.

The regional governor said two children were killed in Belgorod on Saturday and many other people were injured.

Targets were hit in Bryansk and Belgorod

Meanwhile, the governor of Bryansk region said two villages were targeted and a child, born in 2014, was killed. He added that the attacks damaged 55 houses, two private businesses, a soccer field, a recreation center and a kindergarten.

Ukrainian media reported that more than 70 drones were used in Friday’s strikes and only military targets were attacked – citing sources in Ukraine’s intelligence services.