Missile strikes have left at least nine people injured in Dnipro, eastern Ukraine. The attack which occurred on Friday evening caused significant damage to a large residential tower block and a building belonging to Ukraine’s security services (SBU).
Among those injured were two children aged 14 and 17. The top floor of the residential tower block was almost entirely destroyed.
The structures were mostly vacant; the residential building had recently been finished and was in the process of being marketed for sale. According to regional governor Serhiy Lysak, a small number of individuals were briefly trapped inside. However, they have since been rescued and are no longer in danger.
President Volodymyr Zelensky was quick to react to the incident, condemning the attack and attributing it to “Russian missile terror.”
President Zelensky immediately convened emergency meetings with key stakeholders, including the SBU, interior ministry, emergency services, and local officials. These meetings aimed to assess the extent of the damage, coordinate rescue efforts, and formulate a response to the attack.
Meanwhile, Russia says its defence forces have intercepted two Ukrainian missiles over its southern Rostov region. This is an area that shares a border with Ukraine. The intercepted missiles led to unintended casualties in Russia, with 15 people reported injured in the southern port city of Taganrog, situated approximately 40km (24 miles) east of the Ukrainian border, due to falling debris.
Additionally, the Russian ministry confirmed that they downed a second Ukrainian missile near Azov, which is also located in the Rostov region. The debris fell in an unpopulated area.
Taganrog’s location on the coast of the Sea of Azov, approximately 25 miles (40 km) from the Ukraine border, holds strategic significance. The city lies on the road leading to the port city of Mariupol. Mariupol has already endured substantial damage from Russian shelling and remains a focal point in the ongoing conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday asserted that he is ready to engage in peace negotiations; however, such talks would come with a significant condition. Putin underscored that for a peace agreement to be reached, Ukraine would be required to relinquish control of roughly 20% of its territory currently occupied by Russia. This condition could prove to be a challenging point of discussion in any potential peace talks between the two countries.