The escalation of violence in Ukraine continued on Tuesday with deadly Russian rocket attacks in Kramatorsk, according to the Ukrainian interior minister.

The missile strikes claimed at least four lives, including a minor, and left 42 others injured.

Russia reportedly launched two S-300 surface-to-air missiles at the city, specifically targeting a local restaurant, causing significant casualties and property damage.

The Ukrainian interior ministry and Igor Klymenko, an official source, confirmed through Telegram that the deceased included a minor born in 2008, and among the injured was an infant born in 2022. They further expressed concerns about potential victims still trapped under the rubble.

Eyewitness accounts from the scene painted a grim picture of the aftermath. Yevgen, who was present at the targeted Ria Pizza restaurant during the attack, reported that many people, including children, could still be under the debris.

Similarly, Ruslan, a cook at the restaurant, recounted his close escape from the devastating blast. Another distressed resident, Natalia, tearfully shared her fears about her half-brother Nikita, who was believed to be trapped near the pizza oven.

News agency AFP reported that soldiers and rescue workers were on site, combing through the rubble and assisting the injured, even as fires from the strike continued to rage. There were also accounts of substantial property damage, with a number of houses in the vicinity of the restaurant severely affected by the missile strike.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently condemned the missile strikes, implicating the use of S-300 missiles in the deadly attack. He drew parallels with a previous assault on Kremenchuk, noting the brutal shelling of Kramatorsk and highlighting the ongoing aid and clean-up efforts.

The Donetsk governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, revealed that two Russian rockets hit the city, a major urban center in Ukraine’s beleaguered east that remains under Ukrainian control. The missile strike and ongoing conflict follow the invasion launched by Russia in February 2022, which has seen a growing number of civilian areas repeatedly targeted.

Among those responding to the scene was a 19-year-old Ukrainian soldier, known only as “Ghost”. He described the chilling moments leading up to the explosion and his subsequent involvement in the rescue attempts. He conveyed the grim reality of the situation, with rescue workers struggling to free a trapped and injured girl.

  Kramatorsk, Russia, Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky