Volunteers from a humanitarian organization—citizens of Ukraine, the US, and the UK—had checked into a hotel in Kryvyi Rih Before the 5 March Russian strike, says President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces have been conducting extensive attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine, including residential areas, hospitals, schools, and energy infrastructure. These attacks resulted in thousands of civilian casualties and significant damage to infrastructure. Russia employed a variety of weapons, including missiles, drones (such as Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones), and aerial bombs.
The Russian ballistic missile strike that hit the hotel killed four people and injured more than 30, Ukrinform reports.
“The rescue operation in Kryvyi Rih lasted all night at the site of the Russian missile strike. A ballistic missile targeted an ordinary hotel. Just before the strike, volunteers from a humanitarian organization—citizens of Ukraine, the US, and the UK—had checked in. They survived because they managed to evacuate their rooms in time,” he reveals.
Zelenskyy says that the strike killed four people in the hotel.
“My condolences to their families and loved ones. More than 30 people were injured, all of whom have received medical assistance. The blast also damaged numerous civilian buildings around the hotel. Rescuers and emergency services remain at the scene,” Zelenskyy stated.
He expressed gratitude to everyone working to save lives.
“I thank the employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Police, doctors—including emergency medical teams—and everyone whose efforts protect lives. There must be no pause in pressuring Russia to end this war and its terror against civilians,” the Ukrainian president said.
Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that US President Donald Trump’s recent suspension of US military aid to Ukraine poses significant risks to the country’s defense capabilities.
This pause affects critical supplies, including artillery shells and Patriot air defense missiles, which are essential for countering daily Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukrainian officials caution that artillery ammunition could be depleted by May or June 2025, and Patriot missiles may run out within weeks.
Russian missile destroys hotel, kills two, while US aid pause threatens Ukraine’s air defenses
The depletion of these resources would leave Ukrainian cities increasingly vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile strikes, forcing military planners to make difficult decisions about allocating limited air defense assets to protect key population centers.
Read also:
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- The Guardian: Military experts push for European Sky Shield to protect Ukrainian nuclear plants from Russian strikes