Human Rights
Russian missiles hit residential complex in Zaporizhzhia, adding to city's death toll
Rescue workers were sent to the scene, as officials believe that more people are still under the rubble
October 7, 2022 6:17am
Updated: October 7, 2022 2:19pm
Seven Russian missiles hit a residential building in Zaporizhzhia on Thursday, killing at least three people, as Russia ramps up its attack on Ukrainian-held cities.
The latest missile strike completely flattened an apartment complex, as videos shared by the Zaporizhzhia regional administration show.
Rescue workers were sent to the scene, as officials believe that more people are still under the rubble.
Zaporizhzhia this morning.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 6, 2022
Rescuers tried to save the woman but she died.
RIP all the innocent lives lost. pic.twitter.com/DyNgvt1hBF
So far, 21 people have been saved from the destroyed building, including a three-year-old boy, said the city’s mayor, Anatoliy Kuratyev.
“Overnight, seven Russian missiles have hit people sleeping peacefully at their homes in Zaporizhzhia. More have struck during the day. Russians keep deliberately striking civilians to sow fear. Russian terror must be stopped — by force of weapons, sanctions, and full isolation,” tweeted Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.
Overnight, seven Russian missiles have hit people sleeping peacefully at their homes in Zaporizhzhia. More have struck during the day. Russians keep deliberately striking civilians to sow fear. Russian terror must be stopped — by force of weapons, sanctions, and full isolation. pic.twitter.com/HQmXCeN5HN
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) October 6, 2022
The attack on Thursday came one day after the Kremlin said it considered the region of Zaporizhzhia a part of Russia.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law claiming that the four regions in Ukraine that Russia had illegally annexed belonged to Russia, despite the Kremlin not controlling all of them. The four areas the Kremlin is seeking to annex include Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
After the announcement, Russian authorities threatened to use nuclear weapons to respond to any attacks that take place in what it considers its territory.
Zaporizhzhia, which is close to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been hit by several fatal Russian attacks over the few days. On Friday, a missile hit the city, killing 30 and injuring 88 others.
“The enemy launched an attack on a civilian convoy and the outskirts of the city. People were standing in line to leave for the occupied territory to pick up their relatives and to deliver aid. There are dead and wounded. Emergency services are at the site,” Oleksandr Starukh, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, said at the time.
