Russia strikes Kharkiv region summer vacation spot: death toll increases to 7, wounded to 28

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine found another body on Monday, May 20.

"The death toll from the enemy attack on the recreation center in Kharkiv region has risen to seven. Today, divers of the Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response of the State Emergency Service found the body of a man while examining the bottom of the reservoir. Also, 28 people were injured as a result of the hit," the statement said.

Chronology of events

Around 11:00, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported the explosions in the city.

"A strong explosion in Kharkiv. Be careful!" he warned.

Within 20 minutes, another powerful explosion was reported.

Later, Oleksandr Hololobov, the village head of the Mala Danylivka community, confirmed a hit in the area. He mentioned there were casualties.

In a comment to Suspilne, Hololobov specified that the Russian military struck a summer vacation spot.

Later, Kharkiv's mayor reported that in a suburb, Russians fired two missiles at a recreation center where people were vacationing. Five people were killed and 16 others were injured.  

"How many more lives must this ruthless enemy take before the world finally realizes that this is not a war, this is terror? Terror against civilians, against our right to life, against everything human and just. Every missile, every shell, every explosion is a direct violation of all international norms, a crime against humanity," Terekhov wrote. 

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko clarified that the strikes were aimed at a recreation center on the shore of a reservoir in Kharkiv district. An 8-year-old child was among the injured. A police officer and a paramedic who arrived to help people were also wounded.

According to police, one of the dead was a woman 7 months pregnant.

Later, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office clarified that at about 11:00 a.m., the Russian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on a recreation center in the village of Cherkaska Lozova. Approximately 10 minutes later, the Russian army struck the same place again with a missile.

The prosecutor's office also confirmed the death of the woman, who was seven months pregnant. There were also four civilian men among the five dead. 

In particular, a police officer and an ambulance paramedic who came to help people after the first strike were wounded.

"According to preliminary data, the enemy attacked the settlement with two Iskander-M missiles from the territory of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation," the statement said.

Under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation was launched into the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The prosecutor's office also showed a video of the consequences of the Russian missile attacks.

As of 17:03, according to the Prosecutor General's Office, 6 people were killed and at least 27 wounded. The fate of one person is unknown.

"The fate of one of the employees of the recreation center, which was targeted by the Russian army today, is still unknown. It has been established that he was near a reservoir and was fishing during the attack," the statement said.