Russian KAB-1500 bomb strike on Kharkiv Oblast kills two civilians as power lines fall 

On 9 November, a Russian air strike killed two civilians and injured one in the city of Kupiansk in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast, according to the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office.

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, located 30km (18 miles) from the Russian border, has been subjected to intense and frequent Russian strikes, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction.

In April 2024 alone, Russia reportedly dropped 3,200 guided bombs in Ukraine. In October, Russia launched over 1,100 guided bombs on Ukraine in a week. President Zelenskyy described these bombs as Russia’s main “tool of terror” enabling their advance.

The incident occurred around 11:00 when falling power lines struck two pedestrians – a man and a woman – following the attack, Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reports. 

A fire erupted at the scene, resulting in their immediate death. The victims’ bodies were severely burned, complicating the identification process, prosecutors reported.

A 61-year-old man sustained separate injuries in the strike, the details of which were not specified in the official statement.

Preliminary assessments by Ukrainian authorities indicate that Russian forces employed a KAB-1500 bomb in the attack.

The KAB-1500 is a Russian precision-guided aerial bomb weighing approximately 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds). It can create craters up to 15 meters (49 ft) wide. These bombs are typically delivered by fighter jets from distances of 60-70 kilometers (37-43 miles), but the partners don’t allow Ukraine to use their long-range weapons to strike Russian military bases.

The attack caused significant infrastructure damage in Kupiansk, with multiple private residences and apartment buildings affected. 

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