A Russian ballistic missile slammed into a residential area of Kryvyi Rih today, April 4, 2025, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 50. The attack, which hit the central Ukrainian city around 6 p.m. local time, turned a busy neighborhood into a scene of chaos and grief, with rescuers pulling survivors from the rubble late into the night.
The missile struck a crowded part of town—full of homes, not military bases—sending shockwaves through the city of over 600,000, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown. “It was just an ordinary street with people walking around,” said a local official, Oleksandr Vilkul, who runs the city’s defense council. Among the dead were at least two kids, with early reports from the regional governor, Serhiy Lysak, confirming the heartbreaking toll. Fires broke out, and high-rise buildings took a beating, their windows blown out and walls cracked.
Ukraine’s Air Force had warned of a fast-moving target heading for Kryvyi Rih just minutes before the blast, but there was little time to react. “This was a deliberate hit on civilians,” President Zelenskyy said on social media, calling it proof that Russia’s only aim is terror. He begged for more air defenses from allies, saying strikes like this wouldn’t happen if Ukraine had enough protection.
Rescue teams worked fast, digging through debris to find anyone trapped. Photos showed firefighters battling flames and medics carrying dust-covered people to safety. “We’re still looking—there could be more under there,” Lysak said around 8 p.m., hours after the strike. The exact missile type isn’t confirmed, but ballistic missiles are tough to stop, moving fast and hitting hard.
Kryvyi Rih’s no stranger to this war—it’s been shelled plenty since Russia’s invasion kicked off in 2022. Just two days ago, on April 2, another missile killed four and hurt 14 here, smashing into a local business. Today’s attack, though, feels bigger, deadlier. People on the ground say it’s the worst they’ve seen in a while.
Russia hasn’t said a word about it yet, but they’ve always claimed they don’t target civilians—despite the piles of evidence saying otherwise. For the folks in Kryvyi Rih, that line’s hard to swallow tonight. Families are mourning, and the city’s holding its breath, wondering what’s next in a war that keeps hitting home.