A devastating Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown in central Ukraine, has resulted in at least 18 confirmed deaths, including nine children. The missile struck a residential area on Friday, marking one of the deadliest attacks in 2025 during the three-year-old war.

Local officials reported the tragic toll, while regional governor Serhiy Lysak conveyed the extent of the damage via Telegram, noting shattered residential blocks and fire outbreaks. More than 30 people, including a three-month-old baby, sustained injuries and are currently receiving hospital treatment, according to Lysak. Emergency services indicated that the number of wounded continues to rise, with at least 50 people reported injured.

President Zelenskyy addressed the nation in his nightly video address, stating that rescue efforts are ongoing and imploring the West to intensify pressure on Moscow. He asserted, “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 vehemently refuted this assertion, denouncing it as “false information.” The military’s general staff stated via Telegram, “The missile struck a residential area with a playground.”

Further complicating the situation, Oleksandr Vilkul, the city’s military administrator, reported subsequent Russian drone attacks on private homes, which ignited fires at four locations. Vilkul stated that an elderly woman perished in her home, and five others were injured in these later attacks.