27 civilians killed in Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine

At least 27 civilians have been killed in attacks by Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv over the past 24 hours, local police said on Tuesday.

In a statement on social media, regional police official Serhiy Bolvinov said 170 civilians, including five children, have been killed across Kharkiv since the beginning of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow, and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

At least 474 civilians have been killed and 861 others injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to the UN, while cautioning that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the true number.

Some 2 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, the UN refugee agency said.