In the previous assessment, Oleg Synegoubov had mentioned the existence of six dead, about 40 injured -- three of whom in serious and very serious condition -- and at least 16 people reported missing in the rubble of the construction products hypermarket.

Synegoubov said that, also on Saturday, three hours after the attack on the hypermarket, Russia launched missiles against a residential area in the city center, injuring 18 people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messaging platform that "Russia carried out another brutal blow against the city of Kharkiv (...) in the middle of the day".

The city of Kharkiv, which had 1.5 million inhabitants before the war and is located near the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine, is frequently attacked by Moscow forces, who also launched a ground offensive in the region on May 10.

This offensive allowed Russia to conquer several locations and force Kiev to move reinforcements to that sector.

The United Nations condemned the attack on Saturday and called for protection for the civilian population of Ukraine.

"I am dismayed and shocked by the terrible news coming out of Kharkiv," said the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, in a statement.

Brown called for an immediate end to Russian attacks on civilian targets, arguing that both the population and civilian infrastructure must be protected.

"Intentionally directing an attack against civilian infrastructure is strictly prohibited by International Humanitarian Law," recalled the United Nations representative.

"These attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure must stop. This is absolutely unacceptable," she concluded.

After the Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine launched an air strike with missiles on the Russian region of Belgorod, near the border, causing at least four injuries, according to local authorities.

"Our air defense system acted on Belgorod: 29 air targets were shot down as they approached the city," the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported on the Telegram platform.

"Three people are being treated at Belgorod municipal hospital number 2, including two men with head trauma who are in serious condition," added Gladkov.

The authorities also reported "serious damage to two apartments in two residential buildings and two cars, which were completely burned," as well as minor damage, namely to a school and a daycare center.

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