After a Russian missile strike, at least three people have died and 25 have been injured in President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih.
The attack was verified this morning by a Ukrainian official.
The strike hit a five-story residential structure early on Tuesday, according to Serhiy Lysak, chief of the regional administration, and the area was completely consumed by fire.
He stated that rescue efforts were still going on in a Telegram thread.
The destruction of the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky is the most recent act of violence in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
It comes as Ukrainian forces are mounting counter-offensive operations using Western-supplied firepower to try to drive out the Russians.
Yesterday Ukraine said it had liberated three villages – claiming they are the army’s first victories since its counter-offensive began.
Footage on social media showed Ukrainian troops celebrating in Blahodatne and Neskuchne – which is believed to mean that they have taken back control of the small villages.
Kyiv’s deputy defence minister, Hannah Maliar said nearby Makarivka was also taken.
Images from the scene relayed by Mr Zelensky on his Telegram channel showed firefighters battling the blaze as pockets of fire poked through multiple broken windows of a building.
Charred and damaged vehicles littered the ground.
‘More terrorist missiles,’ he wrote on the social app. ‘Russian killers continue their war against residential buildings, ordinary cities and people.’
The aerial assault was the latest barrage of strikes by Russian forces that targeted various parts of Ukraine overnight.
The Kyiv military administration reported that the capital come under fire as well on Tuesday but the incoming missiles were destroyed by air defences.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.