With the Russian army camped at the city's gates, the days all seem the same in Kharkiv: rockets and missiles fall regularly on Ukraine's second city. More than 1.5 million live in the majority Russian-speaking city, lying at the confluence of three rivers, located around 40 kilometres from the Russian border. On the invasion's first day on February 24, Russian forces descended on the city, penetrating the suburbs, but were then pushed back to Kharkiv's northern and eastern outskirts. Since then, Russian artillery has been striking day and night, especially in the north and east of the city.