A devastating missile strike by Russia has claimed the lives of 19 individuals, including five children, in an apartment complex in northern Ukraine. The tragic incident unfolded in Pryluky, located east of Kyiv, as families were asleep in their homes.
Details of the Attack
The missile hit early Wednesday morning, destroying 30 apartments within the building. Among the young victims were three one-year-old children. A young boy perished alongside his mother and grandmother, according to local officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, describing it as one of Russia’s “most vile strikes.” He speculated that the attack might have been timed to coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 74th birthday.
While Moscow did not specifically address the Pryluky assault, it acknowledged a “massive strike” targeting military industries in Kyiv and other locations. Across Ukraine, the death toll rose to 25 on Wednesday, with additional casualties reported in the capital, Kremenchuk, and Oleksandriya.
Rescue Efforts and Damage
In Pryluky, rescue teams worked tirelessly to locate victims trapped under the debris of the five-story building. By late afternoon, rescuers had discovered the body of a fifth child. Over 50 residents sustained injuries, and the attack also inflicted damage on other residential structures and a youth center.
Vyacheslav Chaus, the head of the Chernihiv region, reported that five cruise missiles struck the town, with one directly impacting the apartment block. President Zelensky identified the young victims as Oleksandr, Kyrylo, Serhii, and an eight-year-old named Maxsym. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi confirmed that a boy named Sasha died alongside his mother, Kateryna, and grandmother Viktoriia, leaving only Sasha’s older sister Olha as the sole survivor from their household.
Impact on Ukrainian Cities
In Kyiv, residents sought refuge in underground stations as the city endured another barrage of Russian attacks. Mayor Vitaly Klitschko acknowledged the ongoing destruction in the capital. Ukraine’s national police shared images of what they identified as an unexploded Russian Iskander missile in a Kyiv district, with BBC Verify confirming the authenticity of the photos.
In Kremenchuk, verified footage depicted damaged vehicles, rubble, and fallen trees amidst apartment complexes. Ukraine’s air force reported downing five ballistic missiles, 39 cruise missiles, and over 100 drones, though some missiles managed to breach defenses.
Ukraine’s Response
President Zelensky reiterated calls for international support to bolster Ukraine’s air defense systems. He explained that one of the primary targets of the Russian attack was Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which Moscow had previously threatened to target.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched retaliatory strikes on Russian targets, hitting four locations within the past 24 hours, including oil facilities and a training ground. In the Black Sea, an oil tanker was reportedly attacked by unmanned boats, according to Russian authorities.
Incidents in the Black Sea
In a separate development, Bulgaria ceased its search for the crew of a ship that sank following a drone attack. Vice-Admiral Rumen Nikolov noted that the crew was believed to be Syrian, and the ship had last been tracked in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone of the Black Sea. Another vessel, carrying grain, was also attacked in the same area, with its 18 crew members rescued.
Bulgaria has not assigned blame for these attacks, and Russia has yet to comment on the incidents. However, President Zelensky accused Russia of intensifying its strikes in the Black Sea as part of its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
