Ukraine: Zaporizhzhia attack marks highest civilian casualties in nearly two years
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine – A Russian missile attack on a residential building in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more, making it the deadliest single attack on civilians in Ukraine in nearly two years.
The attack occurred on Sunday evening, when a Russian S-300 missile struck a nine-story apartment building in the city’s central Shevchenkivskyi district. The building was largely destroyed, and rescuers were still searching for survivors in the rubble on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack a “war crime” and said it showed that Russia was “trying to destroy us all.”
“There are no military targets in this area,” Zelenskyy said in a video address. “This is a residential building, civilians lived there. This is another terrorist attack by the Russian Federation.”
The attack on Zaporizhzhia is the latest in a string of deadly Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent months. In October, a Russian missile attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa killed at least 21 people. And in November, a Russian missile attack on the city of Kherson killed at least 10 people.
The United States and its allies have condemned the attacks and called on Russia to stop targeting civilians. The United States has also provided Ukraine with air defense systems to help it defend against Russian missile attacks.
The Zaporizhzhia attack is a reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. According to the United Nations, more than 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes since the start of the war in February 2022. And more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries.
The war in Ukraine has also had a devastating impact on the country’s economy. The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine’s GDP will contract by 35% in 2022. And the World Bank estimates that the war has already caused $350 billion in damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure.
The war in Ukraine is a major challenge for the international community. The United States and its allies are working to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression. But the war is also a major test for the United Nations. The UN has a responsibility to protect civilians in Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable for its war crimes.
Ukraine: Zaporizhzhia attack marks highest civilian casualties in nearly two years
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