Russian Strike on Zelensky’s Home City Kills 19, Including 9 Children: The Deadliest Attack This Year

Russia on Friday launched a missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, killing at least 19 people, including nine children. The attack was one of the deadliest this year, and the conflict continues without any immediate resolution despite the Trump administration’s push for peace.

Kryvyi Rih’s mayor, Oleksandr Vilkul, said on Telegram on Saturday that 68 people were injured in the attack, including a three-month-old baby. The attack also damaged dozens of apartment buildings, six educational institutions, shops, and businesses. The mayor described it as “a tragic evening and night,” saying, “The terrorist state has committed another bloody crime.” He said the rocket and Shahid drone strikes had hit residential areas and children’s play areas.

Russia’s military had launched a ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih using cluster warheads, which are designed to hit a larger area and harm more people, the Ukrainian General Staff said. Zelensky’s hometown, Kryvyi Rih, has been the target of repeated Russian attacks in recent months. An attack earlier this month killed four civilians in a taxi parking area.

Ukrainian President Zelensky, in his nightly address, expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and were injured in the attack. “Many people were injured, and houses were damaged. The missile actually hit a children’s play area, normal streets, and near residential areas,” he said.

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In addition, Russia also targeted a power plant in Kherson with a drone on Friday, Zelensky said. “Such attacks cannot be a coincidence—Russia knows that this is an energy facility,” he added. Zelensky also said that these types of facilities should be protected from any attack, as Russia promised to the US side.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement on Telegram that the attack was aimed at a meeting between Ukrainian and Western officials. The ministry described it as “a high-precision attack” and said that the attack “killed more than 85 servicemen and foreign officials of the opposing side, as well as destroyed more than 20 vehicles.”

Meanwhile, there has been no significant progress in the peace talks. Last week, US President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure during his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said Putin had rejected his proposal, which demanded a complete and immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.

Ukrainian and European leaders believe Putin is delaying the peace talks because he thinks time is on his side. While Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff—who has met Putin twice this year—say Putin is keen on a peace deal.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Friday that he met with a Putin envoy this week and sent him back to Moscow, conveying a message that a deadline must be set for progress in peace talks. “Progress must be made now; there can be no ‘talks about talks,’” Rubio said.

Last week, following separate talks with Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, the White House announced the two sides had agreed to a US-brokered deal to halt the use of force in the Black Sea and implement a previously announced pause on attacks on energy infrastructure. However, Russia has imposed additional conditions on the Black Sea ceasefire, including demands for the lifting of sanctions imposed on its banks and exports.

This situation makes it clear that efforts to establish peace between Russia and Ukraine are facing many obstacles, and this conflict does not seem to be ending soon.