Russia launched its most powerful attack on Kharkiv overnight, deploying over 40 drones, missiles and guided bombs that killed three people and wounded over 20. Trump blamed Ukraine for provoking the strike, stating "they gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them" following the Spider Web operation against Russian airbases.
Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter over Kursk region while continuing rescue operations at a Kharkiv industrial facility where six workers remained trapped under rubble. Russia increased drone production to deploy up to 500 per night, according to Ukrainian air force officials.
By afternoon, Russia struck Kharkiv again with guided bombs hitting the city center and a children's railway, killing a railway worker and wounding over 40 people. Zelensky emphasized these were not retaliatory strikes but continuation of Russian aggression, while announcing Ukraine had destroyed three Iskander missile systems inside Russia in recent days.