What's happened
A Russian guided bomb struck a residential building in Kharkiv on September 15, 2024, killing one and injuring at least 42 others, including children. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reiterated calls for long-range weaponry from Western allies to counter such attacks, which have resulted in thousands of civilian casualties since February 2022.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, the Kharkiv airstrike resulted in one death and numerous injuries, with Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirming the extensive damage to the building. Al Jazeera reported that Zelenskyy emphasized the need for long-range capabilities to mitigate such attacks, stating, 'Every Russian strike of this nature... proves that there must be long-range capability.' The Independent highlighted that the U.S. think tank identified over 245 Russian military sites within range of potential Ukrainian strikes, indicating a strategic shift if Western support is granted. This contrast in coverage underscores the urgency of the situation and the differing perspectives on military aid and civilian safety.
How we got here
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, aerial attacks have led to significant civilian casualties. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has consistently urged Western nations to provide long-range missile capabilities to target military sites in Russia.
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Ihor Terekhov is a Ukrainian politician who is serving as the Mayor of Kharkiv since 11 November 2021.
He ascended to the mayoralty on 24 December 2020 following Hennadiy Kernes' death due to COVID-19 complications.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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