KIEV, Ukraine: Russian drones struck a gas station in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, late on Friday, sparking a massive fire that engulfed private homes, local officials said.
They said the drones also hit a hospital and a restaurant in the town of Velykyi Berluk, east of Kharkiv.
The head of Kharkiv’s local prosecutor’s office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app that three drones hit a gas station in the Nemyshlianskyi district just before 11 p.m.
“There was a large amount of fuel, which is why the fire has these terrible consequences,” Filchakov said.
One person was injured. Filchakov said the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continued overnight.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 14 private houses were destroyed and 50 residents were evacuated. A video released by the mayor showed flames and smoke rising over a wide area.
