A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky, has killed at least 18 people, including nine children, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, targeted a residential area with a ballistic missile, devastating a 10-storey apartment building. Disturbing images show victims lying on the road and in a nearby playground. More than 40 people have been injured, with the youngest being just three months old.
The Russian Ministry of Defence later claimed that the missile strike was aimed at a meeting of “unit commanders and Western instructors” in a restaurant, with up to 85 fatalities. However, Ukrainian officials have dismissed this as false propaganda, asserting that Russia’s missile was intended to maximize civilian casualties.
The attack is one of the deadliest on Kryvyi Rih since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. It follows a pattern of escalating violence as President Zelensky continues to call out Russia’s refusal to consider a ceasefire. The city was also hit by a series of drone attacks later that day, sparking fires and further casualties, including an elderly woman who perished in a house fire.
Earlier that day, military leaders from the UK and France met with Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss the potential deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine. However, ongoing attacks like this one highlight the continued aggression from Russia despite international calls for peace talks.
As the conflict rages on, the humanitarian toll grows, particularly in cities like Kryvyi Rih, located just 40 miles from the front lines in eastern Ukraine.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3wxe5g4z9yo