At least eighteen individuals, including nine children, have been confirmed dead following a devastating Russian missile strike in Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown in central Ukraine. The missile struck a residential area on Friday, marking one of the deadliest attacks of 2025 in the ongoing three-year war, according to local officials.

Regional governor Serhiy Lysak reported that the strike caused extensive damage, including shattered residential blocks and fire outbreaks. Over thirty people, including a three-month-old baby, sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. Emergency services reported that the number of wounded is at least fifty and is expected to rise.

President Zelenskyy addressed the nation in his nightly video address, emphasizing the ongoing rescue efforts and urging the West to increase pressure on Moscow. He stated, “All Russian promises end with missiles, drones, bombs or artillery. Diplomacy means nothing to them.”

In response to the attack, Russia’s defense ministry claimed that the strike targeted a military gathering in Kryvyi Rih. However, the Ukrainian military has refuted this claim, denouncing it as “false information.” The military’s general staff stated via Telegram that “the missile struck a residential area with a playground.”

Further complicating the situation, the city’s military administrator, Oleksandr Vilkul, reported that Russian drones later attacked private homes in the area, igniting fires at four different locations. Vilkul confirmed that an elderly woman died in her home and five others were injured in these subsequent attacks.