Ukrainian officials say at least 11 people were killed and more were wounded in the eastern city of Kharkiv on Monday morning after Russia launched rocket strikes.
Suspected cluster munitions struck buildings in residential parts of the city, raising fears that as Russia escalates attacks in urban areas it could use tactics similar to those it used in Chechnya and Syria, where it has been accused of widespread wartime abuses.
The bombardments came as Russian and Ukrainian delegations held talks Monday for the first time, by Ukraine’s border with Belarus, a key Russian ally.
Oleh Synehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, said Monday that “dozens are dying” and that at least 11 people were confirmed dead.
He called the attacks, in three areas of the predominantly Russian-speaking city that had been considered more friendly to Russia, “a war crime.”
Dozens wounded in shelling of Kharkiv as Russia strikes buildings with suspected cluster munitions
As the shelling began, many Kharkiv residents were lining up at grocery stores and other shops to replenish supplies after being shut in for several days. In the aftermath, images circulated online of damaged buildings and streets dotted with blood and hastily discarded groceries.
One video showed a still-smoldering children’s clothing factory entirely destroyed.
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