Ukraine is observing days of mourning after a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rig, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s home city, claimed the lives of 18 people, including nine children.
The attack, described by the region’s governor as an unbearable tragedy, also left 61 people injured, 12 of whom were children.
The Friday evening strike hit a residential area near a children’s playground, according to local officials, making it one of the deadliest attacks in recent weeks.
Kryvyi Rig’s military administration head, Oleksandr Vilkul, condemned the attack as a “mass murder of civilians,” citing the targeting of children, families, and the elderly.
Images circulating online showed bodies near playground equipment, highlighting the civilian casualties. Regional governor Sergiy Lysak expressed the profound grief Ukrainians felt.
Credit: Los Angeles Times
Russia’s defence ministry claimed the strike targeted a restaurant where Ukrainian commanders and “Western instructors” were meeting and also reported intercepting numerous Ukrainian drones.
However, the Ukrainian army commander refuted these claims, accusing Russia of spreading misinformation and committing “war crimes” to cover up its actions.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 92 drones overnight, with 51 being intercepted.
President Zelensky, who described the Russian attackers as “bastards” and “not human,” asserted that the attack demonstrated Russia’s lack of interest in a ceasefire.
He emphasised that the world sees Russia’s unwillingness to stop its invasion, which began in February 2022.
Zelensky recently met with British and French military leaders in Kyiv to discuss a potential “reassurance” force for Ukraine upon reaching a peace agreement. This meeting occurred amidst efforts by European leaders to coordinate their response after President Trump’s administration initiated direct talks with the Kremlin.
The French and British military chiefs and their Ukrainian counterparts discussed strategies for ensuring a lasting peace in Ukraine, which they deemed essential for European security.
Kryvyi Rig, located in the Dnipropetrovsk region, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks. The city, with a pre-war population of approximately 600,000, holds personal significance for President Zelensky, who was born there.
