The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announced this in a video address.
"This is the price of freedom—such a terrible morning. Ukrainian Kharkiv and Russian Belgorod have always been close cities in many ways. The border between them was only conditional, only on maps - but, definitely, not in the soul. Now everything has changed after the cruise missile, which hit Kharkiv from Belgorod. The missile that hit Freedom Square - the face of our Kharkiv," the President said.
He called the attack terror against the city. There was no military target in the square, as in those residential areas of Kharkiv where they were hit by jet artillery.
The President stressed that after that, Russia is a terrorist state. He called on all countries to declare that Russia is committing state terrorism.
"Kharkiv and Kyiv are the most important targets for Russia now. Terror is aimed at breaking us, breaking resistance. They are going to the capital in the same way as to Kharkiv," the President said.
That is why defending the capital is an important priority now. In all cities, Ukraine must do everything possible to stop the enemy.
"If we protect Kyiv, we will protect the state. The city is the heart of our country, and it must fight, and it will fight," the President said.
We will remind that the Russian troops in the morning on 1 March again fired at the civilian infrastructure of Kharkiv. This time they did it using missiles.
According to available information, the SES added that there are hits in the building of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, the Opera House, the Philharmonic, and part of the residential area (mostly 4-5-storey residential buildings).
At least six people are known to have been injured, including one child. The death toll is being determined.
