(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemns "in the strongest terms" Russian attacks against Kharkiv on May 25 and says that Ukraine's air defense should be bolstered.

He said this in a post on X , Ukrinform reports.

"I condemn in the strongest terms Russia's heinous attacks against Kharkiv city today, including a crowded mall, killing and wounding civilians," Borrell said.

According to him, all perpetrators of these and other Russian war crimes will be held to account.

"These systematic Russian crimes against civilians and civilian infrastructure stress again the need for Europe to urgently ramp up support for air defense: it saves lives and protects Ukrainian towns," Borrell said.

Read also: Death toll in Russian airstrike on hardware store in Kharkiv rises to 11

Earlier reports said that Russian forces hit an Epitsentr hardware superstore in Kharkiv with two glide bombs, killing 11 people. They also attacked the center of the city, injuring 20 people.

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