Russian missiles strike Zelenskyy's hometown, leaving at least 6 dead

A Russian missile attack has killed at least six people and wounded 75 others in the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as drone attacks continue on Russian territory.

Missiles hit a residential complex and a university building in Kryvyi Rih in the eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk on Monday. The regional governor said the victims included a child.

Zelenskyy released footage of the damaged buildings on social media. He wrote that "Regions of Ukraine are being shelled by the occupiers, who continue to terrorize peaceful cities and people."

The attack came as Russia is stepping up its alert against drone attacks in Moscow and elsewhere in the country. Zelenskyy said on Sunday, "Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia."

Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat also said, "There's always something flying in Russia, as well as in Moscow. Now the war is affecting those who were not concerned."

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev claimed on Monday that Ukrainian security authorities were staging a number of drone attacks on Moscow, Crimea and other areas from the air and sea with Western support. Patrushev is a close aide to President Vladimir Putin.

Also on Monday, Russia's defense minister Sergei Shoigu referred to Ukraine's battlefield losses during a conference call with military commanders. He said the Ukrainian military has lost over 20,800 troops and equipment including 10 Leopard tanks over the past month.

Shoigu said Ukrainian forces were carrying out "terror attacks" on civilian infrastructure to make up for what he called the failure in their counteroffensive.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230801_07/