Kharkiv mayor says new weapons targeting city

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Monday Russia has been targeting the eastern Ukrainian city with new weapons in recent attacks.

“There was nonstop shelling over the weekend,” Terekhov said in an interview with CNN. “By the end of the day we also had cruise missile strikes.”

“We have a lot of damage to the infrastructure, and also we have casualties, we have people with injuries,” he added. “The situation is quite difficult.”

The new weapons targeting Kharkiv include “ ammunition that has a time delay, so it strikes and then it waits a while before it explodes,” Terekhov said. “Also we have quite lethal ammunition being used where we have specific civilian targets aimed at.”

“They land on the ground and then they can explode at any moment,” he added.

Terekhov said that the ammunition and missiles have been aimed at civilians in residential districts and that 1,617 residential buildings have been destroyed.

When asked how Ukraine’s allies could help, Terekhov urged them to send the country weapons and thanked Great Britain for doing so.

“First of all, weapons, of course, because without weapons no army can effectively conduct defense,” Terekhov said. “Second is political support and third is humanitarian aid, which we do receive and we’re very grateful for it, but we constantly need food, medication and basic necessities.”

In addition to Western aid, Terekhov said he has faith that the strength of the Ukrainian army will help deter Russia’s advances.

“I know that our military are preparing to defend the city,” Terekhov said. “Thanks to their heroic efforts the city is well-defended.”

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