At least 16 people were killed and around 130 others injured after a series of Russian drone strikes hit the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian authorities said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces targeted a shopping centre in the city in successive drone attacks. According to Zelenskyy, the second strike came about 30 minutes after the first, increasing the casualties and damage at the site.
Emergency crews rushed to the area to search for survivors and assist the injured. The attacks also caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials.
Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as an act of terrorism and called for a stronger international response to Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian cities. He said the international community must take effective measures to prevent further attacks against civilians.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its forces had carried out strikes against Ukrainian ports and vessels that Moscow says support the Ukrainian military. Russia has repeatedly described such facilities as part of Ukraine’s military infrastructure.
Ukraine, in turn, claimed that its forces had targeted a Russian oil refinery and a military airfield as part of its ongoing attacks on Russian military and energy-related infrastructure.
The latest strikes come as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues, with both sides increasingly targeting infrastructure and military facilities far from the front lines. The exchange of attacks has also raised renewed concerns over civilian safety as the war enters another phase of intense hostilities.
