Governor confirms Russian missile attack on Kharkiv hotel during Ukraine war

According to the governor of Kharkiv in Ukraine, two Russian missiles hit a hotel in the city, causing injuries to 11 people. The hotel sustained significant damage, as shown in photos from Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Among the injured were Turkish journalists. The attack occurred at around 22:30 local time and is part of Russia's increased air strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials report that numerous civilians have been killed in these attacks using drones and missiles. Kharkiv, which is located just 30km from the Russian border, has experienced extensive damage since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The hotel was in a central district of the city, and nearby homes and cars were also damaged. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to Lithuania, called on Western allies to provide more air defense weapons to Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of air defense systems in combating drones. Zelensky warned that Putin will not stop until Ukraine is completely destroyed and expressed concern about the Baltic states and Moldova being targeted after Ukraine. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are supportive NATO allies of Ukraine. Lithuania is the largest donor of military aid to Ukraine in terms of GDP. However, the United States contributes the most to Ukraine's defense. Zelensky urged unity among partners to confront Putin and believed that doubts over financial and military assistance from Western allies strengthens Russia. He had been engaging in talks with Western allies to maintain crucial arms deliveries. NATO announced plans to provide billions of euros in further capabilities to Ukraine this year following a video conference with the Ukrainian government. NATO condemned the Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including the use of weapons from North Korea and Iran. The conflict in Ukraine has placed a strain on NATO countries' efforts to increase production of heavy weapons, while an EU aid package for Ukraine worth €50 billion is currently stalled due to a Hungarian veto, and the divided US Congress has yet to pass a new tranche of military aid.