Russian strikes kill dozens in Ukraine, including children

Russian forces launched a series of strikes on Ukrainian cities on 29 October, killing and injuring civilians in Dnipro, Chernihiv, Kremenchuk and Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.

In Dnipro, at least 14 people were killed and 14 injured. The director of a local hospital said six patients were in critical condition, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds. Four were undergoing surgery, while doctors were stabilising two others ahead of operations.

Those seriously injured included an 11-year-old boy, two men aged 40 and 53, and a 26-year-old woman.

In Chernihiv, an explosion in the city centre killed two girls under the age of 15 and injured at least 23 people, including three children, according to preliminary reports. Four children aged 10 months, 10, 16 and 17 were among the injured. Cars were burned, shops were damaged and nearby residential apartments were affected.

In Kremenchuk, in the Poltava region, a Russian strike hit a residential area, injuring at least 19 people, including five children. Three people were reported killed in preliminary information.

In central Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone struck a minibus, injuring at least one person.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, saying they demonstrated the need to maintain and strengthen sanctions against Russia.

“Russia has carried out so many terrorist strikes against our people since sanctions on some Russian oligarchs and the energy sector were lifted, instead of Russia moving towards de-escalation,” Zelenskyy said.

He called on the United States, Europe and the Group of Seven (G7) to impose stronger sanctions against Moscow and its war effort.

“It is time for new, stronger sanctions from the European Union, the United States and the G7,” he said.