KYIV, Ukraine, Jan 11, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A Russian missile attack struck a hotel in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday evening, wounding 11 people, according to local authorities.

The strike comes just ahead of the war's second anniversary, with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of inflicting dozens of civilian casualties in a sharp escalation of attacks.
 
"Two missiles hit a hotel in the centre of Kharkiv. There were no military personnel there. Instead, there were 30 civilians, eleven of whom were wounded," Mayor Igor Terekhov posted on Telegram.

One of the wounded is in "very serious condition", he said, adding that "Turkish journalists are among the victims".

According to the state emergency services, those hurt in the strike were "hotel staff and guests, one of whom is a foreign journalist".

Rescuers evacuated 19 people, the service said on Telegram, sharing a video of the operations, which showed a small building with blown-out windows.

Several other buildings, including two apartment blocks, were also reported damaged in the latest strike.

"In addition to the hotel, residential buildings were affected -- one communal, one private, a car dealership and a manufacturing enterprise," Mayor Terekhov said.

Oleg Synegoubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, said two Russian S-300 missiles had hit the hotel around 10:30 pm (2030 GMT).

Nine of the 11 wounded were hospitalised and two were treated on-site, with a 35-year-old man the most seriously injured, he said.

Located about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Russian border, Ukraine's second-largest city has seen regular and often deadly aerial assaults.

Across the border, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had intercepted three Ukrainian drones at around 4:30 am (0130 GMT) on Thursday over the Tula, Kaluga and Rostov regions.

Voronezh region governor Aleksandr Gusev also reported that a Ukrainian drone had hit "the roof of a non-residential building" overnight, although said there was "no harm done".