Kyiv - On Thursday, Ukrainian authorities reported that a northeastern village had suffered a devastating attack by Russian forces, resulting in 48 fatalities and a minimum of six individuals sustaining injuries.

Both Andrii Yermak, who holds the position of Presidential Chief of Staff, and Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov verified that Russian troops shelled a store and a café in the village of Hroza, situated within the Kharkiv region, at approximately 1 p.m.

Governor Syniehubov sadly disclosed that among the victims of this attack was a 6-year-old boy, while another child was among those injured.

During the time of this assault, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was en route to Granada, located in the southern region of Spain, to participate in a summit hosted by the European Political Community. The formation of this community came about as a response to Russia's full-scale annexation of Ukraine in February 2022.

President Zelenskyy emphasized the urgent need to bolster air defense capabilities, particularly in preparation for the approaching winter. He conveyed this message via a statement posted on his Telegram channel.

During the previous winter, Ukraine bore the brunt of Russia's missile and drone attacks, which had severe repercussions on its energy infrastructure and other vital systems, resulting in widespread power outages across the country. Despite the substantial damage, Ukraine's power infrastructure displayed remarkable resilience and adaptability. However, with winter looming, there are growing concerns that Russia may escalate attacks on critical power facilities.

President Zelenskyy also mentioned that the Granada summit's agenda would focus on collaborative efforts to ensure global food security and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. This follows recent Russian assaults on Ukrainian ports, which occurred after Moscow withdrew from a U.N.-endorsed grain agreement designed to protect grain exports from Ukraine's beleaguered ports.

The UK Foreign Office has disclosed information suggesting that Russia might be planning to deploy underwater explosives near Ukrainian harbors, potentially with the intent to target civilian vessels and falsely implicate Ukraine in such actions.