MOSCOW: A missile strike on Friday targeted the city of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, under Russian control, killed three people and injured over 3, confirmed by Russian authorities.
Lugansk, predominantly under Russian governance with Moscow claiming full annexation, witnessed a massive missile attack, according to Russia-appointed leader, Leonid Pasechnik.
The attack caused a section of an apartment building to collapse, as stated by the emergency situations ministry.
Unfortunately, three people lost their lives, while rescuers successfully extracted seven survivors from the debris, the ministry said.
Distressing images shared by the ministry depicted severe damage to a five-story residential complex, with a deep crater in the ground.
The regional government, citing regional health ministry, said on Telegram that 35 people, including three minors aged between 8 and 16, sustained injuries, with five listed in critical condition.
Pasechnik attributed the attack to “Ukrainian nationalists,” alleging a deliberate assault on civilian infrastructure. He highlighted the collapse of a section of the multi-story building, where rescuers-initiated efforts to locate and rescue trapped people.
Footage released by the emergency ministry showcased rescuers evacuating an elderly casualty on a stretcher. Meanwhile, the Russian defense ministry accused Ukraine of intentionally firing five US-manufactured ATACMS missiles at residential areas in Lugansk. While Russian air defenses intercepted four missiles, one struck two residential blocks, according to the ministry’s statement.
