Ukraine updates: Death toll in Kharkiv DIY store rises to 12

The death toll from a Russian airstrike on a hardware store in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has risen to 12 people, Ukrainian prosecutors said Sunday morning, adding that dozens more were wounded.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 12 missiles and all 31 drones launched by Russia in the latest overnight air assault, the Ukrainian air force said.

Here's a look at the latest developments from Russia's war in Ukraine on Sunday, May 26.

05/26/2024May 26, 2024

Zelenskyy invites Biden and Xi to attend Ukraine peace summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinpin to attend the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland next month.

In a video recorded in the charred remains of a printing press destroyed by a Russian airstrike in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Zelenskyy spoke in English, saying the summit would "show who in the world really wants to end the war."

"I am appealing to the leaders of the world who are still aside from the global efforts of the Global Peace Summit – to President Biden, the leader of the United States, and to President Xi, the leader of China," he said.

"Please, show your leadership in advancing the peace – the real peace and not just a pause between the strikes... Please support the peace summit with your personal leadership and participation," Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian president said more than 80 countries confirmed they would come. "We continue to work with the leaders, inviting them to join the summit," he added.

In the video, Zelenskyy stayed among the burned books in the printing house, which a Russian air strike had hit. "We do not want the UN Charter to be burnt… burnt down just like these books," Zelenskyy said.

Russia has said it does not see the point of attending a conference to which Moscow is not currently invited.

05/26/2024May 26, 2024

Ukraine destroys 12 missiles during Russian air strike, military says

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 12 missiles and all 31 drones launched by Russia in the latest overnight air assault, the Ukrainian air force said.

The missiles and drones were shot down over parts of southern, central, western and northern Ukraine, the air force said.

In the Khmelnytskyi region, where the Starokostiantyniv air base is located, explosions were reported. 

In the Vinnytsia region, a residential building was the target of a bomb attack, the regional administration said. Governor Serhiy Borzov wrote on Telegram that three people were injured in the attack. 

The Lviv region on the border with Poland was also under attack, Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi wrote on Telegram. 

An explosion was also heard near the capital, Kyiv, public broadcaster Suspilne reported. Air raid alerts sounded across the country. 

The heavy overnight air raid was preceded by the launch of Tu-95 strategic bombers in Russia, which fired cruise missiles. Later, MiG-31 fighters, that can carry Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, also took off.

05/26/2024May 26, 2024

Death toll rises to 12 in Russian attack on Kharkiv DIY store

The death toll from a Russian airstrike on a hardware store in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has risen to 12 people, Ukrainian prosecutors said Sunday morning, adding that dozens more were wounded.

Two guided bombs hit the Epicentr home improvement store in a residential area of the city on Saturday afternoon, the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said on national television.

The strikes caused a massive fire. A column of thick, black smoke rose hundreds of meters into the air.

Forty-three people were injured, the local prosecutor's office said. Ten of the 12 dead have not yet been identified.

According to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, about 120 people were in the hardware store when the bombs struck.

In a post on the Telegram app, Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said 16 people were still missing after the strike.

dh/lo (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)