In a renewed assault on Ukraine, Russian forces launched a combined drone and missile strike on the capital, Kyiv, early Saturday, resulting in three fatalities. Simultaneous attacks in the country’s southern regions claimed the lives of three more individuals, Ukrainian officials reported.
The strike on Kyiv damaged a shopping mall, a business center, a metro station, and a water pipeline, highlighting the scope of the destruction. Parliamentary ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets condemned the attacks, describing them as "acts of ruthlessness and barbarity."
Rescue workers were seen navigating flooded streets and sifting through debris in the aftermath of the attack. Charred remains of a van lay in front of the metro station, its facade marked by twisted metal and shattered windows. As daylight broke, recovery teams continued to examine missile fragments and recover victims, with one body bag loaded into a truck.
According to Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat, Ukrainian defenses intercepted both missiles aimed at Kyiv. However, one missile was destroyed at low altitude, causing significant damage.
There has been no immediate response from Moscow, which has consistently denied targeting civilians.
Further Strikes Across Southern Ukraine
In Zaporizhzhia, a missile attack killed one person and injured 11, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Meanwhile, in the neighboring Kherson region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported that Russian shelling killed two individuals in a town north of the regional capital.
The Ukrainian military reported it successfully destroyed 24 out of 39 drones and two of four missiles launched by Russian forces during the overnight assault.
Zelenskyy Responds to Renewed Attacks
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and reiterated calls for international pressure on Russia. "All those who assist the Russian state in this war must face pressure as impactful as these strikes," he wrote on social media.
The attacks follow a deadly missile strike on Friday in Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, which claimed five lives and partially destroyed an educational facility. One of the injured victims succumbed to her wounds on Saturday.
Escalating Conflict
Since the invasion began nearly three years ago, Russia has frequently targeted Ukrainian cities and towns far from the front lines, with a focus on critical infrastructure. The ongoing strikes underscore the relentless nature of the conflict, which continues to inflict devastating losses on civilians and infrastructure across Ukraine.
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