Russian Strike Hits Blood Transfusion Centre, Says Ukraine

A Russian guided air bomb has hit a blood transfusion centre in North-Eastern Ukraine, killing and injuring people, Ukraine’s President has said.

Volodymyr Zelensky said rescuers were now trying to tackle a blaze after the strike on the Kupiansk community in the Kharkiv region on Saturday night.

“Defeating terrorists is a matter of honour for everyone who values life,” he said.

Russia has so far not publicly commented on the reported attack.

Russia has previously denied all allegations of war crimes or targeting civilians.

The city of Kupiansk and nearby settlements were seized by Russian troops in the first few days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.

The area was liberated during a Ukrainian counter-offensive last September.

President Zelensky also said Russia separately carried out a missile attack, targeting an aeronautical company run by group Motor Sich in the western Khmelnytskyi region.

The Russian strikes came after Moscow accused Ukraine of hitting a Russian tanker with 11 crew members in the Black Sea.

REUTERS/AISHA