Drone Strike Kills One, Injures Dozens in Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia
Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine – A Ukrainian drone attack in the Russia-occupied southern Zaporizhzhia region on Sunday resulted in one death and injuries to approximately ten people, according to Moscow-installed authorities. The strike underscores the escalating cycle of attacks across Ukraine as the conflict continues.
The incident involved a residential building struck by a drone, with footage circulating on the Russian social network VKontakte showing firefighters battling the resulting blaze. Natalia Romanichenko, a local official in the Vasylivka municipality, reported to TASS that the body of a woman was recovered from the site overnight.
The attack comes amid a broader pattern of strikes exchanged between Ukrainian and Russian forces. In Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, a Russian strike on the village of Velyka Babka wounded three individuals, local authorities stated.
Further complicating the situation, Ukraine’s Emergency Service reported that Russian forces targeted emergency responders. An initial drone strike ignited a house, injuring three, followed by a second drone strike hitting the fire engine dispatched to extinguish the flames.
These incidents follow a particularly deadly Friday night and Saturday, where a barrage of Russian missiles and drones killed at least 12 people across Ukraine, including ten in Kharkiv after a missile struck an apartment building.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the intensity of recent Russian attacks, stating on social media that over the past week, Russia has launched “nearly 1,750 attack drones, 1,530 guided aerial bombs, and 39 missiles against our people.”
The ongoing attacks highlight the continued vulnerability of civilian populations and infrastructure in the conflict zone. Recent reports indicate a halt to a Russian offensive toward Zaporizhzhia, with Ukrainian military intelligence claiming to have inflicted significant casualties, killing and injuring around 300 Russian troops.