Russia used thermobaric weapons in drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukrainian prosecutors say

Russian forces used drones armed with thermobaric warheads in a mass attack on Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv that injured at least 51 people, including two children, Ukraine’s regional prosecutors said on May 3.

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that the strike late on May 2 involved at least 15 loitering munitions, likely the Shahed-type “Geran-2” drones. Four districts of Kharkiv came under fire, igniting numerous fires across Ukraine’s second-largest city.

Investigators found that Russian drones carried thermobaric munitions, a type of weapon known for generating powerful blast waves and high-temperature clouds, causing severe destruction and posing extreme risks to civilians. Prosecutors said their use may constitute a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law.

"There were not and could not be any military targets," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 2. "Russia is hitting residential buildings at the very time when Ukrainians are at home, when they are putting their children to bed. Only tyrants can give such orders and carry them out."

The injured included two children, aged 11 and 16. The attack damaged residential buildings, educational institutions, businesses, vehicles, and shops. At least eight victims were hospitalized, according to local authorities.

The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office has launched pretrial investigations into war crimes under Ukrainian criminal code Article 438, in coordination with local police.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 12 locations were struck across the city. Firefighters and emergency crews worked through the night to extinguish fires and assist residents.

While Moscow continues to publicly express readiness for peace talks, Ukrainian officials have dismissed such rhetoric as manipulation, pointing to intensifying attacks across the country. Kharkiv has faced repeated airstrikes throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Zelensky renewed calls for Ukraine’s partners to urgently strengthen air defenses. "While the world is delaying decisions, almost every night in Ukraine turns into a horror that results in the loss of lives. Ukraine needs strengthened air defenses," he said.

In March, 164 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 910 injured, according to UN data — nearly all in areas under Kyiv’s control and primarily due to missile and drone strikes. Russian forces have ramped up aerial attacks in recent weeks on cities including Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv.

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