PRYLUUKY, Ukraine — At least nine people, including three children, were killed and more than 20 others wounded after a devastating Russian missile strike struck the city of Pryluky in Ukraine's northern Chernihiv region.
The early morning attack tore through a multi-storey residential apartment building while many residents were still asleep inside, causing partial collapse of the structure and burying families under heavy concrete rubble.
Witnesses described a sudden, massive explosion around 6:00 a.m. local time that shattered windows across the district and reduced sections of the high-rise building to twisted wreckage and dust.
Emergency crews from the State Emergency Service (SES), accompanied by police officers and medical personnel, arrived shortly after to initiate search and rescue operations. First responders pulled several survivors from the debris, while sniffer dogs and heavy machinery were deployed to locate residents trapped underneath collapsed concrete slabs.
Tragically, rescue workers recovered the bodies of three children from under the ruined apartment framework as the search continued.
More than 20 people sustained varying degrees of trauma, with several in critical condition suffering from severe blast injuries and shrapnel wounds. Injured victims, including young children, were rushed to nearby regional medical centers for emergency treatment.
Ukrainian authorities reported that the barrage hit multiple civilian sites across Pryluky, damaging local infrastructure and surrounding residential properties alongside the main residential collapse. Temporary relief tents have been set up near the strike location to provide psychological support, warm food, and shelter to displaced families.
Local authorities and regional administrators condemned the targeting of dense residential areas, confirming that criminal investigations into potential war crimes have been initiated by law enforcement agencies.
Emergency services remain on-site around the clock as teams continue excavating through unstable debris in a desperate attempt to rescue any remaining missing persons beneath the rubble.
As international leaders issued statements condemning the strike on civilian infrastructure, local community members' organized impromptu donation drives to collect clothing, blankets, and essential supplies for the surviving families who lost their homes. Civil defense authorities have urged residents in the Chernihiv region to remain vigilant and heed air raid warnings, as ongoing search and rescue efforts continue to face the threat of potential follow-up strikes.
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