The shelling of Kharkiv on February 28 with 16 high-precision missiles was carried out from a strategic bomber that did not even cross the Ukrainian-Russian border being in Belgorod region of Russia, the Ministry of Defense reported, citing the Air Force Command.

"Yesterday, on February 28, the Tu-22m3 strategic bomber-missile carrier, as if in an exercise, without crossing the state border line, attacked the peaceful residential areas of Kharkiv with high-precision weapons - air-to-surface missiles. The bomber made four events at the direction of the settlement Besedino (Kursk region). Belgorod, having fired about 16 missiles at a defenseless city," the ministry said on its Facebook page on Tuesday evening.

The Ministry of Defense stressed that the consequences of the missile strike were recorded by local residents. High-rise buildings, schools, kindergartens and other infrastructure of the city were destroyed. According to preliminary data, dozens of Kharkiv residents, including children, died from these airstrikes.

"The Air Force recorded this crime against humanity between 19:07 and 19:51 on February 28, 2022. At one time, the materials will definitely be transferred to The Hague," the ministry noted.

"Unfortunately, in the current situation, it is extremely difficult for the Air Force to cover the sky in this region, because part of the country's air defense system was destroyed by Russian ballistic and cruise missile strikes," the Defense Ministry added.

"The invaders do not dare to storm the city, because they are to be killed, so they resorted to aerial terrorism, killing peaceful Kharkiv residents," the Ukrainian military stated.