Several dead in ‘massive’ Russian airstrike in central Ukraine

Kyiv, Jun 13 (EFE).- A “massive” overnight missile attack on central Ukraine has left several people dead or injured, officials said on Tuesday.

Central Dnipropetrovsk region military head Serhiy Lysak said the Russian missiles hit Kryvyi Rih city, killing or wounding an unknown number of civilians.

“Another terrorist act by the Russians targeting the residential sector. At night. Insidious. Cruel. There are dead and wounded,” Lysak said on Telegram.

Lysak urged people not to ignore the air raids sirens, saying that the situation was “still dangerous.”

The official said that one of the missiles had struck and mutilated a five-story residential building.

According to the preliminary reports, at least three residents had died and 25 were injured, 19 of whom are in hospital, he added.

“Apartments from the first to the fifth floor are in flames. The blaze covered 700 square meters. Rescuers are working to put the fire out,” Lysak said, local news agency Ukrinform reported.

The Ukrainian official also reported another three deaths at a private enterprise but said that there were likely to be more people under the rubble.

Another four people were injured at another location, he added.

Kryvyi Rih has a population of 635,000 and is located about 440 kilometers (273 miles) south of Kyiv.

It is the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.

“More terrorist missiles, Russian killers continue their war against residential buildings, ordinary cities and people. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. The rescue operation in Kryvyi Rih continues,” he wrote on Twitter.

“(The) terrorists will never be forgiven, and they will be held accountable for every missile they launch,” he added. EFE

mg-lab/pd