Explosions thundered throughout the night from several areas in the million-city, which is located in northeastern Ukraine just a few miles from Russia and the war front.
A multi-family house was hit in the attacks and a large part of its upper floors have been bombed to black and smoldering rubble.
Kharkiv has been attacked regularly throughout the entire war, but the mayor Ihor Terechov describes the night's attacks as the largest so far.
Tens of drones
"So far, at least 40 explosions have been heard in the city in one and a half hours," he announced during the night, when projectiles were still falling.
Three civilians were killed and at least 21 were injured in the night's and morning's attack, according to local authorities, who claim that Russia attacked with a 50-strong attack drone, four glider bombs and a robot that hit at least 18 different multi-family houses.
On Saturday afternoon, Russia continued its attack with new bombardments of the city center, where at least one person was killed and five were injured, according to Mayor Terechov.
According to Ukraine's air force, Russia sent a total of 215 drones and missiles against Ukraine during the night, of which 87 drones and seven missiles were shot down.
Among the other targets that were attacked during the night was another front-line major city. In Kherson, in the partially occupied region of the same name in southern Ukraine, a civilian couple is said to have been killed when a high-rise building was bombed.
Sworn to give back
The Russian attacks have increased in strength over the past few weeks, with bombings that some nights have been described as the most extensive that have occurred in the war. Ukraine recently carried out a well-coordinated and sensational attack on Russian airbases, where dozens of military aircraft were damaged.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with the US counterpart Donald Trump recently. According to the American, Putin swore in forceful words that Russia would avenge the Ukrainian airbase attacks.
