By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least 17 persons were killed on Sunday while several others were injured after a barrage of Russian missiles pounded apartment buildings and other targets in the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials say.
The blasts in the Ukraine-controlled city left at least one high-rise apartment building partially collapsed. Some 20 private homes and 50 apartment buildings were also damaged.
At least 49 people were hospitalised, including six children, while dozens more were treated for moderate to light injuries.
Sunday’s attack came one day after an explosion on a key bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, which caused part of it to fall into the sea.
While Russia targeted Zaporizhzhia before the blast, the attack was a significant blow to Moscow’s prestige in the Black Sea region and damaged a key supply line for its troops in southern Ukraine.
Russian war bloggers called for retaliation against Ukraine after the explosion, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called the bombing on Sunday “merciless”.
“Absolute evil,” he said. “Savages and terrorists. From the one who gave this order to everyone who fulfilled this order. They will bear responsibility.”
In recent weeks, Moscow has repeatedly struck the southern Ukrainian city, which sits within a disputed region Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed in violation of international law last week.
At least 19 people died in a suspected Russian missile strike on residential areas in Zaporizhzhia on Thursday.
Local residents Tetyana Lazun’ko, 73, and her husband, Oleksii, were caught up in the bombardment this weekend.
They took shelter in the hallway of their top-floor apartment, after hearing warning sirens, but were spared the worst of the blast, which left them in a state of shock.
