After strikes, city's mayor said some residential buildings were destroyed and there were no military targets       Firefighters work in a multi-storey residential building destroyed by a missile attack in central Kyiv, on January 2, 2024. — AFP

As many as 16 people were reportedly injured with two critical after the Russian forces hit the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv Tuesday hitting residential buildings, according to the city's governor as the combatants gear up to inflict maximum damage on the other. 

Governor Oleg Synegubov said on social media that Russia hit with two S-300 missiles on the city centre.

The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border with Russia, has come under frequent bombardment since Russia commenced is special military operation in February 2022.

After the strikes, the city's mayor said that some residential buildings were destroyed and that there was no military targets in the area.

Earlier Tuesday, authorities urged around 3,000 residents in more than two dozen villages near the frontline in the wider Kharkiv region to evacuate, citing escalating Russian attacks in the area.

Russian forces captured swathes of the Kharkiv region shortly after the special military operation in Ukraine, and have kept up efforts to wrest the region despite losing ground there.

The latest attack took place nearly two weeks after Russian strikes hit the Zmiiv, Kharkiv region, on January 8, killing at least three people.

Earlier, on December 30 last year, at least 30 people were killed and over 160 were injured after Russia struck the biggest missile barrage on Kyiv, alongside several other Ukrainian cities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a statement, had claimed that Russia "used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal", targeting residences as well as a maternity hospital.

Russia's air defences, which were overpowered, have significantly improved, according to Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson.

He stated that Russia used hypersonic, cruise and ballistic missiles, including X-22 type, which are difficult to intercept, adding: "We've never seen so many targets hit simultaneously."

The air force said 114 of 158 missiles and drones had been shot down. This degree of destruction could only be brought about by a direct missile hit.

For months, the damage and fatalities that Ukrainians continuously anticipated were primarily caused by falling debris. Now, a greater menace has reappeared.

Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Yuriy Ignat said that this was a "record number" of missiles and "the most massive missile attack" of the war, excluding the early days of constant bombardment.