Ukraine’s military leadership has accused the Russian Ministry of Defense of issuing a deliberate falsehood to justify a deadly missile strike on a residential neighborhood in Kryvyi Rih, where 18 civilians, including nine children, were killed on April 4.
In a statement released Friday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dismissed Moscow’s claims that the strike targeted a gathering of Ukrainian commanders and Western military instructors. Ukrainian officials said the weapon used was an Iskander-M ballistic missile armed with a cluster warhead — a weapon designed to inflict casualties across a wide area.
“The military department of the aggressor state is now attempting to cover its cynical crime with a ‘high-precision’ lie,” the General Staff said. “We state clearly: Russia is again spreading disinformation. The missile struck a residential neighborhood and a children’s playground.”
The Russian Defense Ministry had claimed the strike hit a location where Ukrainian military officers were meeting with “Western instructors.” No independent evidence has been presented to support that assertion.
The Ukrainian government maintains there were no military installations or personnel present in the targeted area.
The attack in Kryvyi Rih was followed by additional strikes later in the evening, including shelling that set fire to homes in a separate residential sector of the city. More casualties were reported, though local authorities have not yet released full figures.
In the early hours of April 5, Ukraine was hit by a massive wave of Iranian-made Shahed drones, with 92 launched from Russian territory, including from Bryansk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Chauda. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 51, while another 31 drones were confirmed as “location lost.” Strikes were reported across multiple regions, including Sumy, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Zhytomyr.
Ukrainian officials say these continued attacks reflect Moscow’s disregard for civilian life and demonstrate a persistent effort to wage a campaign of attrition against population centers far from the front line.
The General Staff said Russia’s actions are in direct violation of international humanitarian law and show no intent to pursue a peaceful resolution to the war.