Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for sustained international pressure on Russia following a deadly missile strike on a hotel in his hometown of Kryvyi Rih, which killed four civilians.
Rescue teams worked through the night using cranes and floodlights to search for survivors trapped under the rubble, according to images released by emergency services.
“Just before the attack, volunteers from a humanitarian organization – citizens of Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom – had checked into the hotel. They survived,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “There must be no pause in the pressure on Russia to stop this war and terror against life,” he added.
The strike comes as Moscow intensifies its bombardments amid growing debate in Washington over potential negotiations to end the war, now in its third year.
Sergiy Lysak, governor of the wider Dnipropetrovsk region, confirmed that the death toll had risen to four after a 43-year-old man succumbed to his injuries in hospital. More than 30 people were wounded in the attack.
Authorities reported extensive damage beyond the hotel, including 14 apartment buildings, a post office, 12 shops, nearly two dozen cars, and a cultural institution.
The latest assault on the Dnipropetrovsk region, which Russian forces continue to advance toward, was part of a larger overnight barrage involving missiles and drones. According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched two missiles and over 100 drones, including attack drones and decoys. Ukrainian air defense units successfully intercepted 68 of them, officials said.
The attack marks one of the first major strikes since Washington suspended intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, adding to Kyiv’s growing concerns.
“Every day, Russia demonstrates its willingness to continue this war and terrorize civilians. That is why Ukraine needs strong security guarantees to ensure a lasting and just peace,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated on social media.
Kryvyi Rih, located approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) northwest of the frontline in southern Ukraine, had a pre-war population of over 600,000.
Meanwhile, officials reported that a security guard was killed in a separate Russian strike on a warehouse in Sumy, in northern Ukraine.
