Ukraine’s Defense Minister reports heightened Russian attacks on key military targets; Kremlin claims Ukrainian counteroffensive is struggling.

On the 523rd day of the war, Russian missile strikes have resulted in multiple civilian casualties and extensive damage to residential and military infrastructure in Ukraine. The Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih was one of the hardest-hit locations, with five confirmed deaths and over 60 people injured after a missile attack struck a high-rise apartment building.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the tragic toll of the attack in Kryvyi Rih, stating that 350 people were involved in the rescue efforts. The damage from the strike trapped several people under the rubble, and local authorities confirmed that at least one child was among the dead.

As of the latest reports, the death toll in Kryvyi Rih has risen to four, with 20 others hospitalized. Rescue operations remain ongoing, with emergency crews working around the clock to free survivors.

In the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, a Russian missile attack caused the deaths of two people after it hit a civilian bus in the Kuibyshevskyi district. The attack also caused significant damage to several buildings, with reports of destruction to facades, balconies, and windows.

Additionally, the Kherson region saw renewed Russian shelling targeting military infrastructure. Ukrainian officials reported increased Russian strikes on strategic sites, while Moscow claimed that Ukraine’s counteroffensive was “not progressing as expected.”