Russia’s military has deliberately hit a hotel favoured by international media in Kharkiv as revenge for an alleged Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian city.
At least 28 people were injured in the Saturday evening missile strike on the Kharkiv Palace Hotel in the centre of the city.
A British citizen and a security adviser to a group of German journalists were among the wounded, according to a statement by the office of Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that Ukraine’s SBU military intelligence service had used the hotel as a base, although this was denied by Ukrainian officials.
“A high-precision missile strike on the former Kharkiv Palace Hotel complex destroyed representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, directly involved in the planning and execution of the terrorist attack in Belgorod,” it said in a statement.
Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia fired six S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles at the centre of Kharkiv. These missiles were followed by drone attacks across Ukraine, including against Kharkiv, that damaged several residential buildings.
Photos from the attack showed the 5-star Kharkiv Palace Hotel virtually destroyed. All its windows had been blown out and a gaping hole was left in part of the building.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
