Ukraine's Proud Heavy Metal Merchandise Store In Kharkiv Destroyed By Russian Rockets

Kolovorot, a Ukrainian heavy metal merchandise store located in the historic part of Kharkiv, (Photo: Facebook Kolovorot Shop)

JAKARTA - Kolovorot, a Ukrainian heavy metal merchandise store located in the historic part of Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, was heavily damaged during a barrage of Russian air and rocket attacks earlier this week.

On Friday, March 4, the organizers of Ukraine's East Nove Kolo heavy metal festival posted photos of the shop's destruction on social media.

"This is the Kolovorot shop in Kharkiv. The place where heavy metal merchandise is sold in Ukraine, where Metal East: Nove Kolo is mostly organized. This is a very small part of the result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," they wrote.

"We are all in Ukraine now. We continue to fight for our land.

"We ask the bands who have played at our festivals, the bands we have worked with through the Musical Hall/Kolovorot, all our customers and fans to spread the word and help stop the war in Ukraine.

"We'll definitely win. And then we'll see you all in Metal East: Nove Kolo and in the updated Kolovorot."

According to CNN, Russian troops have targeted residential areas in Kharkiv, a city of about 1.5 million people, hitting civilian infrastructure such as schools, shops, hospitals, apartment blocks and churches.

An adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said Freedom Square, the center of public life in Kharkiv, was also hit by a cruise missile.

Kharkiv, a predominantly Russian-speaking city, has been under attack since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24. However, despite its proximity to the Russian border, Kharkiv is still under Ukrainian control.

In the nine days since the invasion began, more than a million people have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries, according to the United Nations.