Russian drone strikes on two districts of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed two people and injured scores of others early on June 11, the mayor of Kharkiv said.

Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said there were 17 drone strikes, including direct hits on multi-story buildings, private homes, playgrounds, enterprises, and public transport.

The intense strikes sparked fires in 15 units in a five-story building in the Slobidskiy district, and several houses were hit in the Osnovyansky district, Terekhov said.

"Apartments are burning, roofs are destroyed, cars are burnt, windows are broken," he said, adding that people may be trapped under the rubble.

"We are holding on. We are helping each other. And we will definitely survive," Terekhov said. "Kharkiv is Ukraine. And it cannot be broken."

Nine of the injured, including a 2-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, have been hospitalized, said Oleh Synyehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, on Telegram.

Russia has escalated its bombardments of Ukraine despite negotiations to end the violence that so far have yielded no breakthroughs as Moscow continues to reject calls for an unconditional cease-fire.

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The attack followed other large assaults on Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities within the last week amid intensified bombardments that Moscow said were in retaliation for drone attacks that destroyed dozens of long-range bomber aircraft across Russia.

Meanwhile in Washington, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on said the United States budget for 2026 will scale back military aid to Ukraine.

This administration takes a very different view of that conflict,"Hegseth tolda congressional committee on June 10. We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nations interests.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhiy said earlier that military aid from the United States continues to arrive, and Ukrainian diplomats are working to ensure that it continues.

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on June 4 thatthe Trump administration has not yet made decisionson future assistance to Ukraine as it remains "focused on preserving President Trump's ability to end hostilities."

Most of the questions for Hegseth from members of the committee were about the deployment of about 700 Marines to Los Angeles to assist more than 4,100 National Guard troops in protecting federal buildings and personnel amid protests against immigration enforcement operations.

Hegseth suggested that the controversial use of US military troops inside the United States will expand.

I think were entering another phase, especially under President Trump with his focus on the homeland, where the National Guard and Reserves become a critical component of how we secure that homeland, he said.