A large-scale rescue operation is continuing in Krivoy Rog following a Russian strike on civilian facilities in the city. As of 13:40, acting city head Alexander Vilkul reported that three people, including a child, are being searched for under the rubble. In the morning, the number of missing persons stood at nine; however, the situation partially clarified during the day: five of them were identified among the deceased and the injured in hospitals, while another woman made contact and reported that she was safe.
Search under the rubble: dynamics of missing persons
The key emphasis in the acting city head's statement is that search operations are not yet complete. If nine people were listed as missing under the rubble in the morning, by midday that number had dropped to three, including a minor. This indicates that rescue services and municipal workers are continuing to work around the clock at the site, dismantling structures and checking every section of the destruction. The presence of a child among the missing makes the operation particularly high-priority, requiring the deployment of additional forces and equipment.
Condition of the injured and evacuation of children
At the time of the statement, 50 injured people were in the city's medical facilities, including 13 children. Special attention is being paid to critical cases: one 11-year-old girl was urgently transported by a resuscitation team from the Krivoy Rog hospital (known as the "Thousand") to Dnipro to receive specialized care. This indicates that some victims require a level of medical assistance that cannot be provided on-site.
Scale of destruction: Shopping center, gymnasium, and lyceum
As a result of the strike, a shopping center was effectively destroyed, where many people were present at the time of the attack. In addition, a gymnasium and a lyceum sustained serious damage, with approximately 220 windows blown out. The destruction covers not only commercial but also educational spaces, indicating the scale of damage to the surrounding area. All rescue services and municipal brigades continue to work at the site, ensuring the clearing of rubble and the restoration of infrastructure.
Contradictory data
Discrepancies in the figures of the injured are noted in open summaries. In the statement by acting city head Alexander Vilkul, made at 13:40, the figure refers to 50 injured people currently in the city's medical facilities. However, in earlier and final reports regarding the same strike, the figure cited is over 100 injured, as well as 14 deceased. The difference may be explained by the fact that 50 represents the current number of patients actually hospitalized in Krivoy Rog hospitals at the time of the statement, whereas 100+ is a broader summary including those who received on-site aid, were evacuated to other cities, or were accounted for in later tallies. Similarly, the number of missing persons changed during the day (from nine to three), reflecting the dynamics of the search rather than a contradiction. Exact final figures have not been finalized at this time.
Government reaction and calls for sanctions
Against the backdrop of the tragedy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly promised a response to this shelling, calling the actions against the civilian population war crimes. It is separately noted that, according to available information, the adversary employed a tactic of a repeat strike at the moment rescue teams arrived at the scene, which multiplied the number of casualties. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on the international community to move to tougher sanctions against Russia in light of the continuing attacks on civilian facilities.
