A Catholic charity worker has been killed in a Russian ballistic missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Yana Zhernovskaya, who worked for the Catholic Church's humanitarian and development organisation Caritas, died in the attack on residential areas on Sunday.

A statement from Caritas International on social media said: “Our prayers are with her family, her loved ones, her colleagues, and all those mourning this devastating loss. We also pray for the recovery of her ten-year-old son, who was injured in the same attack.

“We stand in solidarity with Caritas Ukraine and everyone affected by the ongoing war. Yana dedicated her life to supporting people in need, and this tragedy is one more reminder of why the violence in Ukraine must end.

“We renew our call for peace, for the protection of civilians, and for an end to this war”, the statement concluded.

Sixteen other people were injured in the strike, according to Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

The news was confirmed on Tuesday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Donald Trump at the White House, where the pair were expected to discuss the provision of American-made missile defence systems.

John Heathershaw, Professor of International Relations at the University of Exeter, told Premier Christian News that the Church's mission has continued throughout the war in Ukraine.

Speaking about partners of Dnipro Hope Mission, which Professor Heathershaw advises, he said: “They’re taking kids out to summer camps and they’re worried about the drones and missiles coming in, they’re sharing pictures of parts of their cities that have been destroyed.

“It might seem really difficult for us to understand, how can they have a summer camp for kids in an environment like that on the frontline of a war? But actually, that is the business of building the kingdom of God, giving hope to young people who’ve now been living under a full-scale armed conflict for four years.”