A Russian bomb hits a building in Ukraine's second-largest city, killing three people, including two teenagers

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces attacked a residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, on Thursday, killing three people, including two teenagers, and wounding scores of others in the east of the country.

Regional director Oleh Syniehubov said one of the 12-year-old boys was fatally injured when the building was hit by a 500-kilogram Russian glide bomb.

“He was rescued from under the rubble with severe head injuries and fractures,” Syniehubov wrote on social media. “Doctors performed resuscitation measures for more than half an hour. Unfortunately, it was not possible to save the child.”

Syniehubov later said that rescuers had also recovered the bodies of a 15-year-old boy and an unidentified man from the rubble.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said at least 35 people were injured in the attack and more could still be trapped under the rubble.

Russia is using increasingly powerful glide bombs to attack Ukrainian positions along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) line of contact and attack cities dozens of kilometers (miles) from the front line. Kharkiv, a city of 1.1 million people, is about 30 kilometers (less than 20 miles) from the border.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called on the United States to allow Ukraine to use long-range American missiles to attack air bases deeper in Russia used by warplanes with glide bombs. So far, Washington has only allowed a few attacks near the border.

Zelensky repeated his request on Thursday, releasing a video showing the devastated nine-story building, with at least three floors destroyed and the rest heavily damaged.

“Partners see what’s happening every day,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “And under these conditions, each of their delayed decisions means at least dozens, if not hundreds, of such Russian bombs against Ukraine.” Their decisions are the lives of our people. That’s why we have to stop Russia together and do it with all possible force.”

Early Thursday, Russia also fired 10 missiles of different types at the bridge over the Dniester estuary that connects the northern and southern parts of the Odessa region, the Ukrainian air force said, adding that only two of them were intercepted. It was not said whether the bridge was hit.

According to the Air Force, Russian forces also sent 43 exploding drones over at least nine Ukrainian regions. It said 17 were shot down, 23 were trapped and three flew back to Russian-controlled areas.

The head of Kyiv's city administration, Serhii Popko, said debris from some drones intercepted over the capital fell in the Podil district, north of the city center, causing minor damage. According to Popko, there was only one day in October when Kiev residents did not hear an air alarm. During the month there were an average of two air alerts per day in Kiev, averting 20 actual air strikes on the city.

In the east of the country, Russian forces continued their slow but steady attack, trying to capitalize on Ukraine's shortage of manpower and ammunition. In Moscow, the Defense Ministry reported the capture of the village of Yasna Polyana in the Donetsk region, which is on the way to the well-fortified Ukrainian fortress of Kurakhove.

Ukraine retaliated with drone strikes on Thursday.

Authorities in the Russian-held city of Berdyansk on the Sea of ​​Azov reported a drone attack on the port early Thursday and said three people were injured.

The Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 21 Ukrainian drones over several regions and the Black Sea on Thursday.

Zelensky, who has won the support of Ukraine's Western allies for his “victory plan,” said on Thursday that the country had also been working on preparing a bilateral document with Hungary to avoid “challenges” between Kyiv and Budapest.

Zelenskyy, who made the statement in conversation with the heads of local authorities and districts of Ukraine's westernmost Zakarpattia region, which borders Hungary, said the future document would address issues of Ukraine's security and its desire to join NATO. deal with.

“The wording is very gentle, which could allow us to start a dialogue with Hungary,” Zelensky said, noting that Ukraine would ask Hungary “not to block Ukraine’s invitation to NATO.” We are not asking to support us or vote for us, we just don’t want to block,” Zelensky added.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest partner in the European Union, has acted as a spoiler of unity in the confrontation with Russia over its war in Ukraine and has spoken out strictly against inviting Ukraine to join NATO.