A Russian strike killed at least 19 people, including nine children, in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, according to local officials. However, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed it was targeting a military gathering.
Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor, reported via Telegram that a missile had struck residential areas, killing 18 people and sparking fires. Later, a drone strike by Russia hit homes, killing one more person, said Oleksandr Vilkul, the city’s military administrator.
Images from the scene showed bodies and injured civilians on the ground, with smoke rising in the background.
Russia’s Defence Ministry stated that the “high-precision strike” targeted a gathering of Ukrainian commanders and foreign military advisors at a restaurant. The ministry claimed the attack killed around 85 Ukrainian personnel and foreign officers, and destroyed up to 20 vehicles.
Ukraine’s military dismissed Russia’s claims as false, labelling them as deliberate misinformation.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who entered office in January with promises to quickly end the conflict, has been pushing for peace talks. The U.S. recently said it helped broker two ceasefire deals between Russia and Ukraine, one of which included a halt to attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure.
In Kryvyi Rih, emergency crews worked through the night using flashlights to navigate through wreckage and damaged homes. A Reuters eyewitness reported scenes of devastation as residents carried supplies to patch up their homes. People also registered at emergency aid centres, using phone lights to fill out forms.
“It was horrible — dead children lying on the ground, crying parents,” said 47-year-old Yulia, while inspecting the damage inside her home.
The attack on Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, was one of the deadliest Russian assaults so far this year. Over 50 people were injured, with more than 30 — including a three-month-old baby — hospitalized, according to emergency officials.
Although Moscow denies targeting civilians, thousands have died since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine’s General Staff stated that the attack demonstrated Russia’s unwillingness to seek peace and intent to continue its war aimed at the destruction of Ukraine and its people.
In his evening address, Zelensky urged Western nations to increase pressure on Russia.
Both sides accused each other on Friday of violating the energy ceasefire. Russia said Ukraine had attacked its energy sites six times in 24 hours. Zelensky, in turn, accused Russia of launching a drone strike on a thermal power plant in Kherson.
