Russian Missile Strike On Kryvyi Rih Claims Lives And Sparks Outrage.
A devastating Russian missile attack struck a residential area in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, 4 April 2025, leaving at least 12 people dead and many more injured. The regional governor, Serhiy Lysak, confirmed the tragic toll via the Telegram messaging app, noting that among the victims were three children.
The ballistic missile strike, which hit a densely populated district, caused widespread destruction, damaging residential blocks and igniting fires that added to the chaos. Videos circulating on local Telegram chats captured the grim aftermath, with plumes of grey smoke billowing into the sky and scenes of bodies and wounded residents strewn across pavements. A local official reported that at least 50 others sustained injuries, underscoring the scale of the assault on this civilian neighbourhood.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, condemned the attack in a Telegram post, stating, “The Russian army carried out a ballistic missile strike on a residential district of Kryvyi Rih. Not a single military facility – just civilian infrastructure.” His words reflect a broader sentiment of outrage among Ukrainian officials, who have repeatedly accused Russia of targeting non-combatants in its ongoing invasion, which began in 2022.
Russia, however, has denied deliberately targeting civilians, a claim that stands in stark contrast to the thousands of deaths and injuries reported across Ukraine over the past three years. The strike on Kryvyi Rih, a city with deep personal significance as the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is the latest in a series of attacks that have ravaged civilian areas far from the frontlines.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, battling fires and working to assist the wounded as the community reeled from the sudden violence. The attack has reignited calls for increased international support to bolster Ukraine’s air defences, with officials arguing that such measures are critical to protecting civilian lives.
As the fires subside and the full extent of the damage becomes clear, the people of Kryvyi Rih mourn their losses, their resilience tested yet again by a conflict that shows no signs of abating.