A Russian missile attack struck the home city of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week, amid the ongoing war between the two nations.
On Wednesday, local authorities in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, said that a Russian missile struck down in the region, which is home to Zelensky. Earlier on Wednesday, residents of the city were mourning the death of four civilians following a similar attack by the Russian military.
In a post on Telegram, local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said, “Unfortunately, the number of people killed as a result of an enemy rocket attack on the city center on Aug. 26 increased to 4 people. At night, rescuers retrieved the body of another person from under the rubble. Search and rescue operations have been completed. A day of mourning has been announced in Kryvyi Rih today.”
“In Kryvyi Rih, all services, hospitals, social institutions, public transport are working,” Vilkul said.
In another post on Telegram, Vilkul added that another “explosion” was heard in the city of Kryvyi Rih.
The attack on Tuesday in Kryvyi Rih, which left at least five individuals injured, was part of Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure which began this week.
“When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy attacks again. And it once again aims at civilians,” regional head Serhii Lysak, said on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Moscow targeted energy infrastructure with drone strikes, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles. Shmyhal said that the air attack hit 15 regions across Ukraine, which would account for over half the country.
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The attack, consisting of over 100 missiles and a comparable number of drones, began around midnight and continued until daybreak, marking Russia’s largest offensive in weeks. Ukraine’s air force reported that swarms of Russian drones targeted the eastern, northern, southern and central regions, followed by waves of cruise and ballistic missile strikes.
In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the barrage was the “most massive air attack” in more than two-and-a-half years of war.
Russia’s recent offensive operation in Ukraine comes after Kyiv launched their own offensive operation in the Russian border region of Kursk. Earlier in the month, Ukraine launched a surprise offensive operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast as war continues to rage between the two nations since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from Kursk and the surrounding regions, while armed clashes intensify across southwestern Russia following Ukraine’s unexpected cross-border raid.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
