LIVING NIGHTMARE
RUSSIAN missiles rained down on Kharkiv last night in a fresh bombardment as the White House warned desperate Vladimir Putin could unleash biological and chemical weapons on Ukraine.
Shocking footage appears to show a series of terrifying explosions in the besieged city - and another clip reveals aftermath of Vlad's bombs inside a once-bustling shopping mall.
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The video, shared by Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, emerged just hours after a hospital was bombed in Mariupol.
A caption in Ukrainian translates as "normal theme" - a nod to the brutal new reality for Kharkiv's 1.4million residents.
The unverified footage appeared to show heavy shelling in the city with horrified civilians running to safety as the night sky was lit up by blasts.
Another clip, shared by eastern European media agency Nexta last night, revealed troops searching the inside of a shopping centre in Kharkiv.
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Officials said 280 residential buildings and 49 schools have now been destroyed in Ukraine's second city.
The fresh shelling came hours after sickening air strikes in port city Mariupol as Russia breached a ceasefire for the fifth day in a row.
At least three people died including a child and 17 patients and staff were hurt in a blitz on a children's hospital and maternity ward.
President Volodymyr Zelensky branded the attack an "atrocity" and called once again on the West to impose a no-fly zone to protect civilians.
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Sharing the footage online, the Ukrainian leader said: "Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity!
"How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power but you seem to be losing humanity."
Meanwhile, the White House warned that Russia could "possibly use chemical or biological weapons" after invaders were met with stiff resistance.
US intelligence also fears Putin may attempt to "create a false flag operation" with its devastating weapons so he can blame Kyiv.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: "We should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them.
"It’s a clear pattern."
The warning came in response to Russia's unsubstantiated claim the US is involved in bioweapons research in labs in Ukraine.
Ms Psaki added: "Russia has long maintained a biological weapons program in violation of international law.
"This is all an obvious ploy by Russia to try to try to justify its further premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine.
"Also, Russia has a track record of accusing the West of the very violations that Russia itself is perpetrating."
It comes as...
- The CIA has warned a "desperate" Vladimir Putin could deploy mini-nukes to try and turn the invasion around
- Russian troops are stuck outside Kyiv and at risk of freezing to death as temperatures plunge to -20C
- Boxer Wladimir Klitschko says he's in the "biggest fight of my life" against the invading army
- Thousands of Ukrainian refugees could come to Britain as ministers say a new route is to open "in days"
- Russian planes entering Britain's air space could be seized under a new law announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps
- A serving Queen's Guard, 19, has gone Awol to fight in Ukraine
- A little girl filmed singing Let It Go in a Ukrainian bomb shelter has safely fled to Poland
It comes after the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed Russia has used thermobaric "vacuum bombs" in Ukraine.
The terrifying weapons explode people's lungs as they suck in oxygen to create a huge fireball blast.
The MoD shared a video about the weapon on Twitter and said: "The Russian MoD has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine.
"The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects."
Western officials fear Putin will use non-conventional weapons such as weaponised sarin, chlorine and mustard gas.
Murderous Syrian tyrant Bashar Assad - whose regime is propped up by Putin's firepower - shocked the world with sarin nerve gad attacks on civilians.
Officials said: "We've got good reason to be concerned about possible use of non-conventional weapons.
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"Partly because we've seen what has happened in other theatres for example in Syria... so it's a serious concern for us."
US intelligence chiefs have also warned the Russian President could unleash mini-nukes in a warning to Nato if his "clusterf***" invasion continues.
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