Escalating Tensions: Russia's Devastating Bombardment on Zaporizhzhia

Recent overnight strikes by Russia on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, have resulted in 16 deaths and over 35 injuries at a correctional facility. The attack involved drones, missiles, and bombs, further damaging local infrastructure. Russia's annexation of Ukrainian regions remains contested by Kyiv and its allies.

Russia launched a series of overnight strikes on the frontline region of Zaporizhzhia in southwestern Ukraine, leading to the deaths of 16 individuals and injuring at least 35 at a correctional facility, according to regional Ukrainian military sources and the governor of Zaporizhzhia.

Ivan Fedorov, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, conveyed via the Telegram messaging app that the attack demolished the correctional facility's buildings, with nearby private residences also suffering damage. Since the onset of the war, marked by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zaporizhzhia has been a frequent target of drone, missile, and aerial bomb strikes from Moscow's forces.

Despite unilateral annexation of parts of Zaporizhzhia and other Ukrainian territories by Russia early in the conflict, Ukraine and its allies have condemned the move as an illegal territorial seizure. Fedorov noted that Russia executed eight strikes in the district, reportedly utilizing high-explosive aerial bombs, a report not independently verified by Reuters. While both sides deny targeting civilians, the ongoing conflict has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, predominantly Ukrainian.

(With inputs from agencies.)