A devastating missile strike in Kryvyi Rig, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, resulted in the loss of 18 lives, including nine children, according to local officials. The attack occurred on Friday, targeting a residential area close to a children’s playground, and it left 61 others injured, as reported by Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, Sergiy Lysak. Emergency operations were conducted overnight to respond to the tragedy.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show the aftermath, with bodies lying in the street and smoke billowing into the evening sky. Witness accounts describe chaotic scenes, including vehicles engulfed in flames and desperate cries for help from bystanders. Governor Lysak expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, stating, “18… that is how many people were killed by the Russians when they launched a missile at Kryvyi Rig. Among them were nine children.” He further added that 12 children sustained injuries during the attack, describing the circumstance as a level of anguish one would not wish upon even their worst enemy.
In a contrasting narrative, Russia’s defense ministry claimed responsibility for a “precision strike with a high-explosive missile” aimed at a restaurant in Kryvyi Rig, alleging that it was a meeting point for military commanders and Western instructors. Simultaneously, the ministry reported that its air defense units managed to intercept and destroy 49 Ukrainian drones overnight.
As the situation escalates, President Zelensky condemned the missile strike, asserting that it underscores Russia’s persistent aggression and lack of interest in seeking a ceasefire which was proposed earlier. “There is only one reason why this continues – Russia does not want a ceasefire and we see it. The whole world sees it,” he remarked, emphasizing the ongoing hostilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022.
The international diplomatic landscape appears fraught with complexities, as Russian President Vladimir Putin previously rejected a joint proposal for an unconditional ceasefire. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the urgency of the situation, asserting that there will soon be clarity on Russia’s intentions regarding peace.
Zelensky condemned Russia’s approach to diplomacy as an “empty word,” accusing Putin of deliberately prolonging the conflict by stalling on ceasefire negotiations. He noted that a ceasefire could have been achieved by now if it were not for Russia’s obstinacy.
In the days following the missile strike, Kryvyi Rig, located approximately 60 kilometers from the front lines in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, continued to face threats as it has regularly been targeted by Russian drones and missiles. Zelensky himself hails from this industrial city, which boasted a pre-war population of around 600,000 inhabitants.
This particular strike involved what Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian official focused on countering disinformation, identified as an “Iskander,” a Russian ballistic missile system capable of covering distances up to 500 kilometers. Kovalenko characterized the attack as a “deliberate strike to kill a large number of people.”
Additionally, another drone attack in Kryvyi Rig resulted in the death of a 56-year-old woman, alongside injuries to seven others, further highlighting the ongoing violence faced by residents in this beleaguered city.
