A Russian ballistic missile carrying cluster munitions hit the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on June 22-23, killing at least three people and wounding between 23 and 25 others, Ukrainian officials reported [1, 2, 3]. The strike caused damage to industrial infrastructure in the city [1, 3].
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih's defense council, said the cluster munition caused deaths within a 200-meter radius. He described the weapon as "barbaric," adding, "People died within 200 meters [660 feet] of each other because of this barbaric weapon" [1, 2].
The city planned to observe a day of mourning on June 24 in response to the attack [1, 2].
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for faster delivery of air defense systems and increased international pressure on Russia to stop attacks. He said, "Every delay in implementing air defence agreements, every delay in supplies to protect Ukraine and Ukrainians is in effect a loss of life" [1]. In another statement, Zelenskiy stressed, "Every such day and every Russian strike prove that the pressure on the aggressor over this war is insufficient. They also prove that every delay in implementing air defense agreements, any delay in supplies needed to protect Ukraine and Ukrainians, effectively costs lives" [3].
Ukraine's Air Force reported shooting down 118 of 135 Russian drones overnight near the strike date [3]. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces damaged Ukrainian fuel, energy, transport infrastructure and military targets, though this could not be independently verified [3].
In a separate event on June 22, Ukrainian missile strikes hit the Russian city of Voronezh, injuring three people, including one seriously, and damaging residential and industrial sites, according to local officials [4]. Oleksandr Gusev said, "At present, three people are known to have been injured, including one in serious condition" [4].
Kryvyi Rih was preparing to hold its mourning day for the missile strike victims on June 24 [1, 2].
