Explosion at Ukraine's Kharkiv high-rise leaves at least 2 dead

​​​​​​ISTANBUL

At least two people have been killed and others injured after an explosion struck a high-rise building in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv, authorities said Saturday.

Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov confirmed that the explosion occurred in a residential area.

"As a result of an explosion of unknown origin, we have dead and injured people in a high-rise building in the Saltivskyi district," Terekhov said on Telegram.

Initial reports indicated fatalities, but Terekhov provided an update confirming that the body of a second victim had been recovered.

Emergency services are conducting search and rescue operations, and officials are working to clarify details and the cause of the blast.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border and has frequently come under fire since the war with Russia began in February 2022. The Saltivskyi district is a densely populated residential area that has previously suffered significant damage to infrastructure during the conflict.