KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — One person was killed Sunday as Russian air strikes hit the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, while the death toll from Friday’s deadly attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih continued to rise.
The Kyiv victim was found close to the strike’s epicenter of the attack in the city’s Darnytskyi district, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. A further three people were injured in the strike, which saw fires break out in several nonresidential areas, damaging cars and buildings.
In a statement on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the intensifying Russian attacks showed that there is still insufficient international pressure on Moscow.
He said Russia has launched more than 1,460 guided aerial bombs, nearly 670 attack drones and more than 30 missiles at Ukraine in the past week alone.
“These attacks are (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s response to all international diplomatic efforts. Each of our partners — the United States, all of Europe, the entire world — has seen that Russia intends to continue the war and the killing,” Zelenskyy said.
“That is why there can be no easing of pressure. All efforts must be aimed at guaranteeing security and bringing peace closer.”
Meanwhile, officials said that the death toll from Friday’s attack on the central city of Kryvyi Rih had continued to grow, with 19 dead — including many children — and a further 75 wounded.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih’s military administration, declared three days of mourning for the attack, starting on April 7. He said that there was “pain in the hearts of millions of people”.
“Together we will stand. And no matter how difficult it is, we will win,” he said. “The enemy will be punished for every Ukrainian and for every mother’s tear.”
Local authorities said the Kryvyi Rih strike damaged 44 apartment buildings and 23 private houses.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Friday that it had carried out a high-precision missile strike with a high explosive warhead on a restaurant where a meeting with unit commanders and Western instructors was taking place.
Russian military claimed that the strike killed 85 military personnel and foreign officers and destroyed 20 vehicles. The military’s claims could not be independently verified. The Ukrainian General Staff rejected the claims.
Elsewhere, Russian troops fired 23 missiles and 109 strike and decoy drones across Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Sunday. Thirteen missiles and 40 drones were shot down, while 53 decoy drones were jammed and did not reach their destinations, it said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses had destroyed 11 Ukrainian drones, including eight over the Rostov region and two over the Kursk region.
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