Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

RUK140

Incident date

April 23, 2022

Location

Cалтівка, Saltivka, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Geolocation

50.03534, 36.359933 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On the afternoon of April 23, there were reports of shelling by Russian forces in Kharkiv. This took place in Saltivka, an area within the city’s North Eastern Kyivskiy district, and reportedly resulted in four civilian injuries, including an elderly woman and those trying to rescue her, classifying this incident as a double tap strike. This has been reported by Ukrainian officials, local news outlets, and social media users.

Details of this attack were reported via @prokuratura_kharkiv, a Telegram channel operated by the office of Kharkiv’s regional prosecutor. According to a message posted to this channel, “on April 23, 2022, the Russian military carried out an artillery attack on the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv. As a result of the shelling, a 62-year-old woman was injured.” The same source added that emergency services personnel were injured when responding to this event, stating “When the police arrived at the scene of the shelling, they began to help with the transportation of the wounded woman. However, the Russian occupiers opened fire again in the area. As a result, three law enforcement officers were wounded.” As Ukrainska Pravda reported, this version of events was also communicated on Telegram by Oleg Sinegubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration.

Photos and video footage uploaded to Twitter and Telegram show significant damage to commercial and residential buildings in the area. A video posted to YouTube by the local outlet Public Kharkiv shows emergency services extinguishing numerous fires following the shelling.

Two videos posted by a known Russian source (@frmPFHOYKhUBtUL) accused Ukrainian forces of bombing Kharkiv but did not give any specific information about where or whether casualties resulted.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR56371.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes and fires in the neighbourhood of Saltivka (Салтівка), for which the generic coordinates are: 50.03534, 36.359933. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • Kharkiv. The occupiers sent some "liberation"
  • Fire and damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by @real_sight)
  • Kholodnogorsk district, Kharkiv
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of the shelling in Kharkiv
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by @sternenko)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by @sternenko)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by @sternenko)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by @UKRINFORM)
  • RUSSIAN SHELLS HIT A SUPERMARKET IN SALTOVKA ON APRIL 23. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES (Image posted by @ukrpravda_news)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrinform News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrinform News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrinform News)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian shelling of Saltivka on April 23, 2022. (Image posted by Ukrinform News)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military

Sources (18) [ collapse]