Sat Apr 05 08:19:32 UTC 2025: ## Russian Missile Strike Kills 18, Including Nine Children, in Zelenskyy’s Home City
**KYIV, April 5, 2025** – A Russian ballistic missile strike on Kryvyi Rig, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown, has resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including nine children, according to Ukrainian authorities. Sixty-one others were injured in the attack, which targeted a residential area near a children’s playground on Friday, April 4th.
Dnipropetrovsk Regional Governor Sergiy Lysak described the attack as causing “the kind of pain you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy,” highlighting the 12 children among the injured. Unverified social media videos depicted the aftermath, showing bodies in the street, a burning car, and a large plume of smoke.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed the strike was a precise targeting of a restaurant where Ukrainian military commanders and Western instructors were meeting. They also reported intercepting 49 Ukrainian drones overnight.
President Zelenskyy condemned the attack, stating that it demonstrates Russia’s lack of interest in ceasing hostilities. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of rejecting proposals for a ceasefire, a claim echoed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who expressed skepticism about Russia’s commitment to peace. Despite US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the ongoing conflict, a ceasefire remains elusive.
The missile used in the attack has been identified as an Iskander, a Russian ballistic missile with a range of up to 500 kilometers. Ukrainian officials described the strike as a deliberate act intended to inflict mass casualties. A separate drone attack in Kryvyi Rig also resulted in one death and seven injuries. Kryvyi Rig, located approximately 60 kilometers from the front lines, has been repeatedly targeted throughout the conflict.
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