Kharkiv: April’s hell — Russia’s assaults and Putin’s "peace" gambits

According to official data, over 30 days, the aggressor launched around 140 attacks on the city of 1.5 million. It was a month of relentless terror, mass destruction, and pain. The bombardments continued nonstop, even as the Kremlin declared its "readiness for a ceasefire" and "talks without preconditions."

Far from easing, Russia’s terror campaign is escalating. Airstrikes, guided bombs, missile attacks, and massive drone assaults have hit cities across Ukraine: Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy. But the worst hellscape has been in the Kharkiv region.

Kharkiv in flames: A city targeted for systematic destruction

Almost daily in April 2025, Kharkiv endured fresh strikes. Residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, dormitories, markets, transportation hubs, and critical infrastructure all came under fire. Russia used, among other weapons, guided bombs weighing 500 and 1,500 kg, which leveled entire buildings and killed dozens.

• On April 7, a Russian missile hit an ambulance, killing a nurse on her way to a call.
• On April 14, they struck a district hospital.
• On April 24, a dormitory at a teachers’ college was hit.
• On April 29, a drone attack injured 47 people, including a pregnant woman and two children.

City and regional leaders say these strikes are not random — they are part of a deliberate, systematic campaign of terror against civilians.

“This April was the darkest month since the start of the full-scale war,” said Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Mayor Ihor Terekhov added, “The city is facing attacks of a scale we didn’t even see in 2022.”

City council data show that every third day of April 2025 ended with civilian deaths.

Attack and damage toll since February 2022

• Missile strikes: 1,700+
• Drone attacks: 900+
• Airstrikes: 400+
• Artillery and MLRS strikes: 2,000+

Destruction:

• 5,200+ residential buildings destroyed or damaged
• 54 medical facilities damaged
• 123 schools and 78 kindergartens hit
• 9 universities damaged
• 22 cultural sites (theaters, museums, philharmonic) damaged or destroyed
• 17 churches and places of worship affected
• 68 critical infrastructure sites disabled

Civilian casualties:

• Over 1,430 civilians killed, including 74 children
• Over 3,660 wounded, including more than 250 children

Russia’s actions are not military necessity — they are a deliberate strategy of fear. Kharkiv, so close to the border, has been turned into a testing ground for terror. But the city is holding strong, becoming a living refutation of Kremlin propaganda.

The Kremlin talks peace with its finger on the trigger

During this fresh escalation, the Kremlin announced its readiness for a "ceasefire" between May 8–11 and claimed to be open to "talks without preconditions." But Ukraine and the international community see it clearly: this is not a path to peace — it’s a tactical game.

Because Russia’s real demands have long been clear: recognition of Crimea’s annexation, Ukraine’s surrender of occupied territories in four (effectively five) regions, agreement to a neutral status, and an end to NATO aspirations. In other words, capitulation.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed these initiatives as “manipulation” and “an information game.” He stressed: “We demand an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire — for at least 30 days, guaranteed and reliable. That is the only foundation for real diplomacy.”

Instead of goodwill gestures, we see airstrikes on hospitals and shopping centers. Instead of a ceasefire, bombs fall on the city's district of Saltivka. Russia is not seeking peace — it wants time to regroup, dig in, and launch fresh offensives. We’ve seen it all before. Ukraine will not make the same mistake twice. That’s the stance of a nation resisting aggression.

Kharkiv is no exception — it’s a warning to all of Ukraine

The tragedy of Kharkiv is not just a local crisis — it’s a reflection of the broader threat to the entire country. Kharkiv shows that Russia has not given up any of its goals. It still aims to destroy Ukraine as a state, crush the will to resist, extinguish hope, and spread fear.

That’s why Kharkiv stands. And that’s why the world must know about it. Ukraine’s fight today is not just for territory — it’s for the right to live free from dictatorship, fear, and daily terror. It’s a fight for freedom in its truest sense.

April 2025 proved one thing: the Kremlin hasn’t changed. Only its tactics have. But its goals remain the same. Kharkiv is the painful, undeniable proof.

Kharkiv is standing. Ukraine will stand. But victory is not just survival — it’s restoring justice. And that requires calling things by their real names. Russia is not a negotiation partner. It is the aggressor. And until it’s stopped, there will be no peace.

Early May 2025: Attacks continue despite Moscow’s "ceasefire" claims

As this article went to press, Russia launched a fresh week of terror:

• May 1–2: Massive missile strikes (likely Iskanders and S-300s) on civilian infrastructure — at least 12 wounded, 3 killed.
• May 3: Drone strike (Shahed-type) on an energy facility, temporarily cutting power to part of the city.
• May 4: Artillery shelling of northern Kharkiv suburbs — no casualties, but residential damage.
• May 5: Another wave of drone strikes on infrastructure; explosions reported in Shevchenkivskyi and Kyivskyi districts, at least 5 injured.

In the first five days of May alone: daily attacks using multiple weapons. Russian forces have even deployed strike drones with thermobaric warheads, causing major destruction, fatalities, and dozens of injuries among civilians.

Specially for Espreso

About the author: Volodymyr Kravchenko, journalist
The editorial team does not necessarily share the views expressed by blog authors.