A building at Kharkiv National University, damaged by shelling, Kharkiv, Ukraine. [REUTERS/O. Lapshyn]
Soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, the city of Kharkiv—Ukraine’s second-largest municipality, situated in its northeastern region a mere 40 km from the Russian border—emerged as a key strategic target. A significant industrial, commercial and cultural center, Kharkiv also is a hub of Ukrainian education and scientific research, with dozens of universities, technical and professional schools, and research institutions.