You're reading: Dispatch from Kharkiv

For Kharkiv, the second month of the war started with the recapture of several strategically important settlements in its southeast suburbs, previously used by Russians as a stronghold for artillery shelling on the eastern side of the city for about a fortnight.

A day before, the anecdotal self-attack was reported by the Russian helicopter on their own troops there. Yet, this achievement was shadowed by the intense attack the following night of some long-distance artillery: the severe fire and damages were reported all over Kharkiv. From our flat in downtown we saw enormously bright flashes lightening half of the sky without any strong blasts heard – apparently we witnessed shelling of Saltivka district.

This attack also affected our close one – my mother in law had several windows broken in her private house that night – a shell fell next door to one of the landmarks of Kharkiv – the Holdberg church.