Russian attack leaves one dead in Kharkiv as Washington halts arms shipments to Ukraine

SadaNews - One person was killed and another injured in an attack by Russian drones that targeted a village in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, according to the regional governor.

Governor Oleg Synehubov stated that five Russian drones struck warehouses, two minibuses, and piles of straw at a farm in the village of Borivske, causing a limited fire.

He added in a post on the Telegram app: "Unfortunately, one person has been killed and another injured."

He explained that five additional drones targeted another farm in the neighboring village of Velyka Balakliia, but the attack did not result in any casualties.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, announced that Russian shelling hit the Novobavarsky district of the city but did not cause any casualties.

On the other hand, the Ukrainian military announced responsibility for an attack on an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov region, confirming that the facility was being used "to supply the Russian military units involved in the armed aggression against Ukraine with fuel and lubricants." Russian authorities did not immediately confirm the occurrence of this attack.

In a separate development, Washington announced the suspension of some arms shipments to Kyiv. The White House stated on Tuesday that it halted the sending of specific types of weapons, including air defense missiles, in light of concerns regarding U.S. ammunition stockpiles.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to AFP: "This decision was made to prioritize America’s interests, following a review by the Department of Defense of the military assistance we provide to other countries around the world." However, she emphasized that "the strength of the U.S. military remains unquestionable – just ask Iran."

According to U.S. media outlets, such as Politico, this pause specifically concerns air defense missiles and munitions.

The decision comes at a time when Ukraine is facing an escalation in Russian air assaults, with the number of long-range drones launched by Russia rising by nearly 37% in June compared to the previous month, according to an analysis by AFP.

These attacks are applying increasing pressure on Ukrainian air defenses and burdening civilians, while ceasefire talks between Kyiv and Moscow remain stagnant.

According to media reports, the recent U.S. decision also comes amid Pentagon concerns about U.S. military reserves being used to support Ukraine.

Despite the recent tensions in the relationship between Washington and Kyiv, the administration of President Donald Trump continued, in part, to send military aid that began under his predecessor Joe Biden, whose administration has provided over $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.

This development comes just days after a meeting held in The Hague between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.