KYIV: Russia hit the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia with multiple guided bombs on Sunday, wounding at least 16 people, and damaging railways, infrastructure, and residential and commercial buildings, Ukrainian officials said.

Ivan Fedorov, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, said that Russian forces hit three city districts with a total of 13 guided bombs between 5am and 7am.

The strikes injured at least 16 people, including two children aged 8 and 17 years old, he said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that several residential buildings, the city’s infrastructure, and railways were damaged in the strikes.

He posted pictures from the sites of the attacks, showing charred cars, a hole blown through a residential building, and rescuers battling fires. Local officials said trains were delayed and diverted while rescuers cleared up the debris. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on Sunday’s strikes.

The highly destructive guided bombs are difficult for Ukrainian air defences to intercept. The southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, an important logistical and industrial hub located about 50km (30 miles) from the frontline, has been the target of intensified Russian-guided bomb strikes in recent weeks.

Moscow’s troops partially occupy the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, which is also home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Zelensky said that during the past week Russian forces used nearly 900 guided bombs, more than 300 Shahed drones, and over 40 missiles to strike Ukrainian urban centres, towns, and villages.

“This Russian terror knows no pause, and it can be stopped only by the unity of the world unity to support Ukraine and unity to put pressure on Russia for the war,” Zelenskiy said on Telegram.

Zelenskiy, who was in the United States last week to attend the UN General Assembly and to present his plan for victory in the 2-1/2 year war to key officials, is pressing allies for more air defences.

Moscow denies targeting civilians, although it has killed thousands since its February 2022 invasion, according to United Nations data. The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday its air defences downed 125 Ukrainian drones overnight, while a residential apartment was hit in the western city of Voronezh, according to the local governor.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024