Russian UAVs strike two Ukrainian recruitment centers

Russian UAVs hit recruitment centers in Kharkov and Zaporizhzhia, injuring several Ukrainian soldiers.

On 7/7, Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) struck a military recruitment office in Kharkov and its surrounding area, as well as an area near a recruitment office in Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian army reported.

Preliminary reports indicate four Ukrainian soldiers were injured: three in Kharkov and one in Zaporizhzhia. Russia currently controls about 70% of the Zaporizhzhia region, but Ukraine still holds the regional capital.

Emergency responders are working at the scene, and further information about casualties will be released later, the Ukrainian army added.

A burning car after the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 7/7. Photo: Zaporizhzhia Military Administration

A burning car after the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 7/7. Photo: Zaporizhzhia Military Administration

Earlier, Ukrainian media reported a series of explosions in Kharkov, including at least six strikes on residential areas, injuring 11 people.

Around the same time, Zaporizhzhia was also hit by Russian UAVs, injuring 10 people and damaging infrastructure.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that on the night of 6/7 and early morning of 7/7, Russian forces launched a total of four converted S-300/S-400 missiles, along with 107 suicide and decoy UAVs, targeting Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 58 UAVs, while 17 disappeared from radar or were suppressed by electronic warfare. Ten areas in Ukraine were hit, and UAV debris also fell in seven other regions.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on the information.

On 3/7, Russia also launched a UAV attack on a recruitment office in the Poltava region, causing a large fire that killed two and injured 11. According to DD Geopolitics, a Twitter account that publishes data on the war in Ukraine, Russia has attacked Ukrainian recruitment centers at least five times in the past week.

A UAV strikes a building in Kyiv on 17/6. Photo: AP

A UAV strikes a building in Kyiv on 17/6. Photo: AP

A Ukrainian army spokesperson said on 6/7 that Russia's main goal in attacking regional recruitment facilities and social support centers is to disrupt Ukrainian mobilization efforts. They are clearly afraid that Ukraine will recruit more new soldiers.

The official predicted that Russia would continue such attacks in the future and affirmed that Ukraine would do everything possible to protect military personnel working at recruitment centers, as well as civilians visiting the facilities.

Russia has recently conducted several large-scale missile and UAV attacks on Ukrainian territory, while the Ukrainian army is facing shortages of missiles and air defense systems.

Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's drone forces, warned last week that Ukrainian air defenses may face 1,000 or more Russian UAVs daily in the near future.