UPDATE - 4 killed, 12 injured in Russian drone attack in eastern Ukraine

ADDS FURTHER STATEMENT BY KHARKIV GOVERNOR; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russian forces overnight rained down drones on Kharkiv city in eastern Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring 12 others, while one of which hit a thermal power plant, causing a power outage in the region, local officials said on Thursday.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement on Telegram that the city, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Russia's border, was attacked by drones that hit a 14-story high-rise building, destroying multiple apartments on several floors.

"In total, we have four dead," Terekhov said, adding that three of them were rescuers from Ukraine's State Emergency Service.

He said teams from the State Emergency Service were dispatched to an area affected by an initial drone strike to assist with relief efforts.

He added that 12 people were injured in various degrees of severity.​​​​​​​

Ukraine’s power grid operator Ukrenergo said in a separate statement that another Russian drone targeted an energy facility in the Kharkiv region, causing a power outage in the region.

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram that works has begun to restore the Zmiivska Thermal Power Plant to operational status.

He added that Russian artillery and mortar attacks also targeted about 20 settlements in the region.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed that the country's air defense shot down 11 of the 20 drones launched by Russia from the Kursk region toward Kharkiv.

Russian officials have not yet responded to the claim.