Missile Attack Devastates Hometown of Ukraine's President

A missile strike in Kryvyi Rih results in casualties as Ukraine faces mounting concerns over military support.

In a tragic incident early Thursday, a Russian missile struck a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, killing at least four individuals and wounding over 30, according to Ukrainian authorities. President Zelensky reported that the hotel had been occupied by humanitarian volunteers from Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom, who narrowly escaped death by evacuating their rooms shortly before the attack.

"Russia must be continuously pressured to cease its war and terror against life," Zelensky asserted in a statement following the attack. As rescue operations commenced to help the injured, air-defense units across Ukraine worked feverishly to defend against an onslaught of aerial attacks that have become prevalent this winter. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that Russia launched two ballistic missiles alongside 112 drones, some of which were equipped with dummy warheads aimed at misleading air defense systems.

While most drones were intercepted successfully, the Air Force did not confirm the status of the missiles. The situation raises critical concerns regarding Ukraine's air defenses, especially in light of recent suspensions of military and intelligence assistance from the United States.