A series of Russian missile and drone strikes on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on 4 April have resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people, including nine children, and left more than 60 others injured, according to Ukrainian officials.
The initial attack occurred in the early evening and involved a ballistic missile strike on a residential district in central Kryvyi Rih. Ukrainian authorities have identified the weapon used as an Iskander-M ballistic missile, reportedly equipped with a cluster warhead. The blast caused significant damage to multi-storey residential buildings, educational facilities, catering establishments, and civilian vehicles.
Emergency services confirmed that fires broke out across the area following the impact. As of midnight on 5 April, the head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, Oleksandr Vilkul, stated that 18 individuals had been confirmed dead, including nine children. Serhii Lysak, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Administration, later reported that the number of injured had reached 61, with 12 children among them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the strike in a public statement: “A Russian missile struck an ordinary city. Just a street. An area with residential buildings. At this time, 14 people are known to have been killed, including six children.” He added that at least five apartment buildings had been severely damaged and that rescue operations were ongoing.
Among the casualties was a three-month-old infant who suffered lacerations and was treated before being discharged for recovery at home. Two boys, aged eight and nine, were reported to be in serious condition in hospital. Photographs released by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) show large-scale damage to buildings and emergency personnel at the scene.
The attack occurred near a playground, further highlighting the civilian nature of the area hit. Initial reports put the death toll at 12, but this figure continued to rise throughout the evening as emergency services worked through the rubble.
Later that same night, at approximately 23:00, Russian forces launched a second strike on the city using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to Vilkul, one of the drones struck a private residence in which a woman was killed. Fires broke out in the area, affecting houses and critical infrastructure. The drone was identified as a Shahed-type UAV.
In addition to the fatality, seven other individuals were injured in the drone strike. Infrastructure affected included private homes, a children’s playground, tram tracks, and public transport vehicles, including minibuses and cars.
On the following morning, Ukraine’s General Staff issued a statement rejecting Russian claims that the missile had targeted a gathering of Ukrainian military commanders and Western instructors. The Ukrainian military stated that the missile strike had deliberately targeted civilian areas and accused Russia of disseminating false information in an attempt to justify the attack.
The statement from the General Staff read: “The aggressor’s military department is attempting to conceal its cynical crime behind a façade of ‘high-precision’ disinformation. The missile struck a residential neighbourhood and a children’s playground. This is yet another violation of international humanitarian law.”
These attacks follow a previous strike on Kryvyi Rih on 2 April, which killed four people and injured 14 others. That earlier attack also caused damage to residential buildings.
Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, has been targeted repeatedly since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The city is the birthplace of President Zelensky and has served as a key logistical and symbolic target for Russian forces.
The latest strikes form part of a broader escalation in Russian attacks on Ukrainian urban centres, following recent statements from both sides indicating a hardening of positions. Ukrainian authorities have reiterated calls for enhanced air defence capabilities and renewed international condemnation of the strikes.
International observers have not yet issued a formal response, but the escalation is likely to feature in upcoming discussions at the United Nations and the European Union.
Rescue operations in Kryvyi Rih continue, with emergency services working to clear debris and locate potential survivors. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the casualty figures may rise further.
No independent verification of Russian claims regarding military targets has been provided, and Ukrainian officials maintain that the areas struck were purely civilian in nature. The use of cluster munitions in a densely populated residential zone has been described by Ukrainian officials as a breach of international law, though no formal classification has yet been issued by international legal bodies.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reportedly launched an investigation into the strikes, treating them as potential war crimes.
