A Russian missile and drone assault on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday killed at least 19 people, including nine children, according to Ukrainian authorities. The strike, which devastated residential neighborhoods in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown, has drawn sharp condemnation and renewed scrutiny over Russia’s conduct in the war.
Local officials said a missile hit a residential area, killing 18 people and igniting fires. Later, Russian drones struck again, killing another person. The regional governor, Serhiy Lysak, said the attacks left more than 50 injured, with over 30 people—including a three-month-old baby—hospitalized.
Images from the scene showed charred buildings, wrecked vehicles, and emergency workers searching through rubble by flashlight. Residents scrambled to make emergency repairs using whatever materials they could find.
“There were dead children lying there, crying parents—it was horrible,” said Yulia, a 47-year-old resident who spoke to Reuters while surveying damage in her home.
In a statement on Telegram, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the missile strike was a “high-precision” operation that targeted a gathering of Ukrainian unit commanders and foreign military advisers inside a restaurant. The ministry said the attack killed up to 85 soldiers and officers, as well as destroyed 20 military vehicles.
Ukraine dismissed Russia’s statement as disinformation. The Ukrainian military said the attack clearly struck residential areas and accused Russia of attempting to justify the killing of civilians.
“This attack shows that Russia is in no way seeking peace, but rather intends to continue its invasion and destroy Ukraine and all Ukrainians,” the General Staff of Ukraine’s military said in a statement.
The deadly strike came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January promising to end the war within 24 hours, said Washington had brokered two ceasefire agreements between Russia and Ukraine. One of the deals reportedly called for both sides to stop targeting each other’s energy infrastructure.
But on Friday, both Moscow and Kyiv accused one another of violating the ceasefire. Ukraine said Russia launched a drone strike on a thermal power plant in the southern city of Kherson. Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of attacking six Russian energy facilities over the same 24-hour period.
In his nightly video address, President Zelenskyy called on Western allies to increase pressure on Moscow, saying Russia’s continued attacks on civilians show it has no intention of ending the war.
The strike on Kryvyi Rih marks one of the bloodiest single attacks by Russia this year. Despite the Kremlin’s claim that it does not target civilians, the war has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and widespread destruction across Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
