Girl, 14, killed as Russian strike hits Kharkiv playground

A 14-year-old girl has been killed after a Russian guided bomb strike on the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv hit a playground, local officials say.

At least six other people were killed and 59 injured as a 12-storey residential building was also hit in the city near the Russian border.

Pictures showed flames and thick black smoke coming from the upper part of the building as firefighters carried people to safety.

President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his calls for all Ukraine's international partners to allow it to hit targets inside Russia in order to prevent such attacks. His office said Moscow's forces had fired more than 400 drones and missiles at Ukraine over the past week.

The attack came just hours before Mr Zelensky dismissed the head of his air force, Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, sits around 35km (22 miles) from the Russian border and has been the target of frequent attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Regional head Oleh Sinehubov said on Telegram that at least 59 people - including nine children - had been wounded, with 20 in a serious condition and some requiring amputations. Nine children were also injured in the strikes, he said.

Further photos showed part of the building's outer wall collapsed and numerous cars outside it on fire.

Mr Sinehubov said the strikes had been launched from Russia's Belgorod region, which sits just across the border.

"Let's say unequivocally that there were guidance systems [on the missiles]. We draw one conclusion," he said.

"These streets are exclusively parks with large gatherings of civilians. This is a residential building. This is, again, mass terror against our civilian population."

Mr Zelensky said Russia had targeted "ordinary" people and the strikes could have been prevented if Ukraine "had the capability to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases".

"This is an absolutely legitimate need. There is no rational reason to limit Ukraine’s defence," he said.

Ukraine's Western allies have partly withheld permission for it to use their weapons to strike Russian territory for fear of escalating the conflict.

The UK has allowed much of the equipment it has supplied to be used to hit Russia, though maintains an exception for long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

In May, the US allowed Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia, but only near the Kharkiv region and only to "hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them".

It continues to refuse permission for strikes deeper into Russian territory.

"We need long-range capabilities and the full implementation of air defence agreements for Ukraine. These are life-saving measures,” Mr Zelensky said.

Responding to Friday's attacks, the US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, said: "Our thoughts are with the people of Kharkiv as rescue operations are under way.

"Russia must be held accountable for these war crimes."

Earlier this week, numerous sources told the BBC that Western technology and finance was helping Ukraine carry out hundreds of long-range strikes in Russia using Ukrainian-produced drones.

The targets included air force bases, oil and ammunition depots and command centres.

Elsewhere, Russian officials said five people were killed by Ukrainian strikes in the western Belgorod region.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said a further 37 civilians were wounded in the strikes, which he said were caused by the use of "cluster munitions" by Ukrainian forces.