A Russian missile strike on the city of Zaporizhzhya in southern Ukraine claimed the lives of 10 people and injured 20 others on the evening of December 6, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Among the injured were three children, and one adult, a 23-year-old man, is in critical condition.
The attack devastated a service station and caused significant damage to nearby homes and shops, according to Fedorov’s Telegram post, which included video footage of smoke and debris scattered across the street. The state emergency service reported that the strike ignited a fire engulfing six cars, a garage, and the service station. Firefighters later extinguished the blaze.
In a separate attack on Kryviy Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were killed when a three-story building was destroyed. The strike also damaged nearby residential structures and vehicles, officials said on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, asserting that they underscore Russia’s lack of interest in pursuing a peaceful resolution to its invasion, which began in February 2022. “Thousands of such strikes carried out by Russia during this war make it absolutely clear that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not seek real peace,” Zelensky stated on Telegram. “Only through force can we resist this. And only through force can real peace be established.”
Zelensky is expected to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at an upcoming ceremony, marking their first interaction since Trump’s election to a second, non-consecutive term on November 5. Trump has criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine and claimed he could end the war within 24 hours, though he has not provided details on how he would achieve this.
Concerns persist in Kyiv that Trump may push Ukraine toward negotiations favoring Russia. His choice of Keith Kellogg, a retired general who has advocated concessions to end the war, as his Ukraine envoy has heightened these fears.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Biden administration is working to bolster Ukraine’s defenses before leaving office. On December 2, the administration announced a $725 million military aid package, including missiles, ammunition, and anti-personnel mines, to support Kyiv in its ongoing fight.
Source: rferl.org
