The shelling of Kharkiv's civilian neighborhoods with precision-guided bombs shows russia's attempt to scare local residents into leaving the city. This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It is noted that in recent weeks russian forces have launched missile strikes on Kharkiv city with glide bombs. These are mostly FAB and KAB bombs modified with glide modules, which were often equipped with guidance systems. One of the tasks is to get the residents to flee the city.
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Also on Saturday, May 25, russia struck a hypermarket in Kharkiv city with bombs. It is known that at that moment there were about 200 people inside the building. So far, 12 dead and 43 injured are known. The fate of the others remains unknown for now.
ISW recalled that russian aircraft carried out these strikes from their safe area on russian territory without fear of being hit by Ukraine's air defense systems. This was possible because Western countries prohibited the use of their weapons to strike military targets on the aggressor's territory.
"russian forces will very likely continue these strikes as part of the offensive operation in northern Kharkiv Oblast as long as Western prohibitions prevent Ukrainian forces from adequately challenging the russian military's sanctuary in russian territory," the statement reads.
Earlier Defense Express reported that Ukrainian Forces had shot down another russian Su-25 aircraft.
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