On June 14, Russian forces conducted a drone strike on the Kharkiv Art Museum, prompting an emergency evacuation of valuable exhibits to protect them from potential destruction. The city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, confirmed the incident via his Telegram channel.
According to Terekhov, there were no reported injuries from the attack, although several individuals sought medical assistance due to acute stress reactions. Emergency services and rescuers worked swiftly to relocate the artworks to a secure storage area.
“These are treasures that we must preserve. There is a risk that some exhibits could be destroyed or damaged by fire, or even flooded during firefighting efforts. Therefore, we had to evacuate them,” the mayor stated.
Kharkiv and its surrounding areas have been subjected to frequent attacks from Russian drones and missiles, which have targeted residential buildings and infrastructure. Notably, on the morning of June 10, a drone struck a multi-story building in the city’s Industrial District, resulting in a fire and injuries to three individuals.
Earlier that same night, approximately 30 drone strikes were recorded in the Kholodna Hirka and Kyiv districts of Kharkiv, injuring five civilians, predominantly elderly residents. On June 9, a series of drone strikes resulted in 11 hits on residential buildings, businesses, and shops in the regional center, while a missile attack in the nearby town of Chuhuiv claimed five lives.
Additionally, on the night of June 8, a Russian drone targeted a New Post depot in Kharkiv, causing significant damage to the terminal’s roof and destroying hundreds of packages.
A recent drone attack on the Kharkiv Art Museum led to the emergency evacuation of its exhibits. This incident reflects ongoing threats to civilian infrastructure in the region, with multiple drone strikes reported in recent days.