What does shelling mean in war? Definition as Russia continues to attack Ukrainian regions such as Kharkiv

Russian troops have taken part in shelling attacks in several Ukrainian regions
A car in Kharkiv is left destroyed after a Russian troop shelling. (Credit: Getty)A car in Kharkiv is left destroyed after a Russian troop shelling. (Credit: Getty)
A car in Kharkiv is left destroyed after a Russian troop shelling. (Credit: Getty)

Reports of violent attacks in Ukraine have left the world shocked after Russian troops moved into the country.

While there has been much made of Russian air strikes, one of the methods in which troops have been attempting to take over the country is shelling attacks.

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The method is deadly and can bring devastation to those affected, with citizens among those badly hit.

But what exactly does it mean, and how many attacks have taken place so far?

What is a shelling attack?

In simple terms, a shelling attack is when an enemy is constantly fires at with bombs

It is a common method of attack in war and conflicts throughout the ages.

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Due to the high volume of ammunition in a short amount of time, cars, homes, buildings and people can be hit and either injured or killed.

The word “shelling” comes from the shells which are used up by the fired ammunition, with the used shells found at the scene of the attack.

What types of shells are there?

Shells are normally shaped in a point to allow them to be fired from distance and move aerodynamically.

There are many different types of shells which can be used in an attack.

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This includes Armour-piercing sells, high explosive shells, shrapnel shells and chemical shells.

Several different types of attacks have taken place in Ukraine since Russian began to attack civilian city targets.

Where in Ukraine has been hit by shelling attacks?

The shelling attacks have been used by Russian troops since they moved into the country on 24 February.

One of the main areas which has been shelled in the past week is the city Kharkiv.

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Kharkiv is located in the south-east of Ukraine and has been at the centre of Russian aggression.

Multiple attacks have results in the death of citizens.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that as of 1 March at 9am, nine people had died and 37 were injured as a result of shelling.

Prior to the full invasion, a nursery in the Donbas region was shelled, with Russian forces initially stating that Ukrainian forces were to blame for the incident.

However, the West believed that the shelling was a false flag operation conducted by Russia to set a pretext for a full invasion.

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A TV tower in Kyiv was also believed to be shelled after an attack on Ukrainian television stations.

As a result of this attack, five people were killed.

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