Missiles strike apartment blocks in Zaporizhzhya

At least one woman was killed when a five-storey apartment block was hit by Russian shelling in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya.

Twelve people were wounded, including a three-year-old child, in the attack in the southeastern city close to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. At least five other residents were trapped under the rubble of the smouldering building this morning.

Oleksandr Starukh, governor of the Zaporizhzhya region, confirmed that a woman had died. He later told Ukrainian television that another woman who was initially reported dead had survived. “Thanks to the doctors, her life was saved,” he said.

“Seven people were injured of varying degrees of severity. They were treated, including one three-year-old child. The rescue operation is still ongoing. The number of victims may vary. The number of victims could have been much higher but thanks to the timely and professional actions of the Zaporizhzhya state emergency service, 21 victims were already saved.”

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, wrote on Twitter: “Overnight seven Russian missiles have hit people sleeping peacefully at their homes in Zaporizhzhya. More have struck during the day. Russians keep deliberately striking civilians to sow fear. Russian terror must be stopped — by force of weapons, sanctions, and full isolation.”  

Russia did not immediately comment on the strike. The Kremlin has previously denied deliberately targeting civilians during its eight-month invasion of Ukraine.

The city of Zaporizhzhya is under the control of Ukrainian forces despite the rest of the region being mostly occupied by Russia; Zaporizhzhya being one of the four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia.