Russia Kills 19 in Deadly Strike on Zelensky’s Hometown

By Ahora Qadi

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – At least 19 civilians, including nine children, lost their lives in a missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, according to Ukrainian authorities. The incident is being described as one of the most lethal assaults in recent months and has triggered renewed international concern.

Residential neighborhoods in the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were severely impacted, with homes reduced to rubble, fires ignited, and residents forced to flee. Rescue teams worked throughout the night under flashlights, navigating debris and smoke-filled streets to locate survivors.

Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, stated that the initial missile strike struck a civilian zone, claiming 18 lives. A subsequent drone attack, he said, resulted in an additional fatality. Local authorities reported that at least 50 individuals were wounded, and over 30 remain hospitalized, including a three-month-old infant.

Moscow: “Targeted Strike on Military Gathering”

Russia’s Ministry of Defense acknowledged the strike but asserted it had targeted a gathering of Ukrainian military unit commanders and Western advisors in a local restaurant. According to the ministry’s statement, the precision-guided strike resulted in the deaths of up to 85 personnel and the destruction of 20 vehicles.

Ukrainian defense officials rejected that account, describing the Russian statement as "misinformation" and denying the presence of any military personnel at the site. The Ukrainian General Staff responded that the attack reflects Moscow’s continued military posture, stating, “The Russian Federation is in no way seeking peace but intends to prolong the conflict.”

Fragile Ceasefire Under Strain

The strike occurred shortly after the United States announced two ceasefire understandings had been reached with both Russia and Ukraine, including an agreement to refrain from targeting energy infrastructure. Despite that, both Kyiv and Moscow traded accusations on Friday over violations of the accord.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Ukrainian forces had launched six attacks on Russian energy facilities in the preceding 24 hours. In turn, President Zelensky stated that a Russian drone targeted a thermal power station in Kherson.

In his nightly address, Zelensky called on Western allies to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on Moscow to encourage de-escalation.

Diplomatic Push Amid Escalation

The escalation comes as the U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January with a pledge to end the war within 24 hours, has reiterated his intention to facilitate a negotiated peace agreement. Nevertheless, the recent attack on Kryvyi Rih underscores the formidable challenges facing diplomatic efforts more than two years into the full-scale conflict that began in February 2022.