Zelensky vows retaliation after missile strike kills ten in Kharkiv region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans for retaliation on August 18, 2026, following a Russian missile strike that killed ten people and injured over a dozen in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. Zelensky described the attack as occurring in a residential area, which included a post office and stores. He expressed condolences to the victims' families and stated that emergency services were responding to the incident. Zelensky criticized Russia for targeting civilian locations and called on international allies to increase pressure on Russia to prevent further military actions. This attack follows a significant Ukrainian drone strike against Russia, where over 600 drones were launched, with Russian air defenses reportedly intercepting more than 200 of them.