Kharkiv hit by ‘most powerful attack’ of entire war, mayor says, as Russia pounds Ukraine again

By Todd Symons, Kosta Gak and Billy Stockwell, CNN

(CNN) — Massive Russian strikes on Ukraine’s second-largest city killed at least five people on Saturday, officials said, one night after Moscow carried out one of the war’s largest aerial assaults on Ukraine.

Russia has conducted extensive attacks on Ukraine in recent days, in what is being viewed as retaliation for an audacious drone operation by Kyiv that debilitated more than a third of Moscow’s strategic cruise missile carriers.

The northeastern city of Kharkiv – which sits about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border – was shaken by “at least 40 explosions” in the early hours of Saturday, according to a Telegram post by Mayor Igor Terekhov.

“Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of t