Five people were killed in Ukrainian strikes on the western Russian region of Kursk in a deadly escalation of the ongoing conflict, officials confirmed Saturday. Acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein reported that nine others were injured and hospitalized after the strike in the town of Rylsk, located near the Ukrainian border.
The attack happened on Friday afternoon and left severe damage in several structures, such as the cultural center, fitness complex, school, and private homes. Initial reports said there were six fatalities, but an updated number said not a single child was among them. The dead in strikes by Ukrainian forces are some of the first casualties, a grim toll in the region still recovering from the previous cross-border offensives by Ukrainian forces.
Missile Attacks Strike Kyiv Again
Where tensions erupted in Kursk, Ukraine faced its own barrage. The number of people killed in the Ukrainian strikes corresponded with the Russian missile attack on Kyiv, leaving one person dead and nine injured. One of the buildings destroyed housed the embassies of Albania, Argentina, and a few others.
Eyewitness accounts describe the destruction in Kyiv’s Pecherskyi District. The historic St. Nicholas Cathedral had its windows shattered, and nearby residential buildings took the brunt of the blasts. Local residents voiced their anguish, with one woman saying, “I don’t understand how I survived,” after her apartment was reduced to rubble.
Escalating Tensions As the Strikes Continue
The conflict has dramatically escalated. People have been killed in Ukrainian strikes after months of tension in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops have remained since their surprise offensive in August. In retaliation to recent Ukrainian actions, Russia carried out mass missile and drone strikes across Ukraine overnight, saying it targeted military facilities.
Meanwhile, speculation continues to run rife over whether the strikes on Kyiv are connected to broader developments such as the killing of Russian General Igor Kirillov earlier this week. Friday’s attack came as Vladimir Putin addressed his end-of-year press conference and warned that Russia would launch even more missiles against Ukraine.
Also, see: Russia-Ukraine war update: Ukraine uses UK-supplied missiles to strike Russian targets ‘first time’