Russian strikes kill 22: Ukraine rescuers pull dead from rubble

Russian strikes kill 22

In the early hours of Thursday, a Russian missile slammed into a multi‑storey apartment block in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, leaving ↓ 22 civilians dead, officials said.

Among the victims was an eight‑year‑old boy, whose family now mourns a loss that underscores the human cost of the war.

“We pulled bodies from the rubble for hours; the smell of smoke still lingers,” a local rescue commander told Reuters.

Rescue crews worked through the night, sifting through debris with heavy equipment and dogs trained to locate survivors. The operation was hampered by ongoing shelling, forcing workers to pause intermittently.

Authorities have condemned the strike as a blatant violation of international law, calling for heightened scrutiny from the United Nations.

The tragedy arrives as Ukraine continues to grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic, straining medical facilities already stretched thin.

Analysis by: Zara Blackwood

Rapid Response Intelligence Analyst