Seven people were killed and at least 17 injured after a residential building in Ukraine was hit by Russian shelling last night.

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a block of flats in Kharkiv was ‘totally destroyed'. He added: 'We will not forgive, we will take revenge.'

Footage shows soldiers battling fires and sifting through debris last night after the residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv was hit by Russian ordnance.

The video was released by President Zelensky along with a statement saying: ‘When you hear about Kharkiv's Saltivka, it hurts again. Pain for all of Ukraine. Pain for Kharkiv.

‘Rocket attack... On the dormitory... The building was completely destroyed. We are establishing the exact number of dead and wounded. A vile and cynical attack on civilians that has no justification and demonstrates the powerlessness of the aggressor. We will not forgive, we will take revenge.'

The State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine for the Kharkiv region said in a statement obtained on the morning of Thursday, August 18: ‘During the day from August 17 to 18, the rescuers of the Kharkiv garrison of the State Emergency Service continued to perform their duties in wartime conditions.

‘In total, during the day, the rescuers made 31 operational departures, of which: for extinguishing fires — eight, including fires caused by military actions — six, five – for carrying out emergency and rescue operations, twelve – to provide assistance to the population, utility workers and the police, six - other departures.

‘Fires caused by enemy shelling occurred in the Izyum (2), Chuguiv (1), and Kharkiv (1) districts of the region, as well as Kholodnohirsky (1) and Saltiv (1) districts of Kharkiv.

‘At night, the enemy fired rockets at the Saltiv, Kholodnohir, and Slobid areas of the city of Kharkiv, as well as the Krasnograd area of the region. As a result of the shelling, multi-story and private residential buildings, a dormitory and a cultural centre were destroyed and damaged.

‘Units of the State Emergency Service were involved in extinguishing a fire on an area of about 4,000 square metres in the cultural centre of the Kholodnohirsky district of Kharkiv, as well as in a three-story residential building in Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv city (seven people died and 17 were injured).'

The SES of Ukraine added: ‘Also, in the city of Krasnograd, three residential buildings were destroyed and 12 buildings were damaged. According to preliminary data, two people died as a result of shelling. Three people, including one child, managed to be saved. There was no fire.

‘In the Slobid district of Kharkiv, a four-story dormitory building and a tram depot building were partially destroyed. According to preliminary data, one person died. Eight people, including two children, were saved. There was no fire.

‘During the day, pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service eliminated 18 unexploded enemy munitions.

‘We will endure. We believe that we are regaining our right! Everything will be Ukraine!'

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a ‘special military operation'.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 18th August, Russia had lost about 44,300 personnel, 1,889 tanks, 4,179 armoured combat vehicles, 1,010 artillery units, 265 multiple launch rocket systems, 136 air defence systems, 234 warplanes, 197 helicopters, 793 drones, 190 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,061 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 93 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Pentagon said last week that Russia had suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties – deaths and injuries – since the beginning of its invasion.

Russia has replaced the head of its Black Sea fleet, Admiral Igor Osipov, 49, with a new commander, Vice-Admiral Viktor Sokolov, 60, according to Russian state-owned news agency RIA. The move comes after a series of explosions at three locations, including an airbase, an ammunition depot and an airfield, in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The Chinese Ministry of Defence has said that China is sending troops to Russia to take part in joint military exercises that are ‘unrelated to the current international and regional situation'.

On Wednesday, Ukraine performed disaster response drills near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe's largest – following repeated shelling.

Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak, 50, has said that the main bridge that connects Crimea to Russia must be ‘dismantled'. Podolyak called the bridge an ‘illegal object', adding that it ‘must therefore be dismantled. Not important how – voluntary or not.'

Ukraine's Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov, 56, has said that his country had not lost any US-supplied HIMARS systems, contradicting Russian claims.