Kyiv and Kharkiv hit by ballistic missiles hours after U.S. treasury chief signals possible easing of Russia oil sanctions (updated)

After U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in an interview with Fox Business that the U.S. administration is considering lifting sanctions on Russian oil, Moscow attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles on the night of March 7, 2026.

A ZMINA correspondent in Kyiv reported hearing a series of explosions at 01:28 a.m. and 01:41 a.m. local time. Another explosions were heard at 2:24 a.m. and 2:28 a.m. in Ukraine’s capital. 

In addition, Russia struck a high-rise building in Kharkiv with ballistic missiles. There is destruction and casualties, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, and “Gwara.Media” reported.

“A direct hit by ballistics on a high-rise building in the Kyivskyi District has been confirmed. There is significant destruction and a fire; people may be trapped under the rubble,” the Mayor reported.

Aftermath of Russian ballistic strikes on Kharkiv

At 04:30 a.m., Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov reported that the body of a 65-year-old woman had been recovered from the rubble.

At 05:00 a.m., Terekhov announced that rescuers had discovered the body of a second victim under the debris.

At 06:20 a.m., the Mayor reported that a third deceased individual was found under the rubble of the apartment building.

As of 07:20, at least four people have been killed in the house. 

Ten more individuals were injured, including two boys aged 6 and 11, and a 17-year-old girl. Up to ten people may still be trapped under the rubble, likely including a child.

All necessary emergency units are deployed at the scene, and the search-and-rescue operation is ongoing.

According to Bessent, the United States is forced to respond to a critical shortage of raw materials. Previously, on March 6, the United States issued a 30-day permit to India to purchase Russian oil currently on tankers at sea.

“We can lift sanctions on other Russian oil. The Treasury can do something else: there are hundreds of millions of barrels of sanctioned crude oil on the water. Essentially, by lifting sanctions on them, the Treasury can create supply. And we are considering this. We will continue to announce measures to alleviate the market situation during this conflict,” Bessent stated.

Ukraine urges the international community to unite to restore global security under the UN Charter and strengthen sanctions against Russia to enforce compliance with international law. Following Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, Ukraine has pursued the liberation of its territories within its internationally recognised 1991 borders while developing comprehensive reintegration strategies and policies for all liberated areas.

Previously, the Ukrainian OSINT Varta team, in collaboration with the Lex Talionis project, has published an interactive map containing data on more than 6,000 enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex and their 1.2 million employees. The interactive map provides descriptions of activities and specific developments for each enterprise, as well as a categorization system that allows filtering by type.