Russian glide bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia kills at least 15 people
Russia has launched a glide bomb attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 15 people, including three children, with at least 16 others injured and more feared dead under the rubble. The strike on Saturday morning hit residential buildings in the south-eastern city, which is home to over 700,000 people and lies just 10 miles from the front line. President Zelensky said 13 other regions were also attacked overnight and criticised a recent diesel trade deal between the Trump administration and Russia, suggesting it signals weakness that could prolong the conflict.
The attack is part of an escalating pattern of Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians, with at least 33 killed in a glide bomb attack on buses in Kramatorsk on Thursday and 22 people, including five children, dying in a missile strike on an apartment block in Pryluky the day before. Search and rescue operations involving more than 80 workers are ongoing at the Zaporizhzhia strike site, with rescuers listening for survivors beneath the debris. According to the UN, civilian casualties in Ukraine have risen by 55% in the first eight months of this year, reflecting the intensifying nature of Russia's campaign against both infrastructure and civilian targets.
- At least 15 killed, including three children, in Russian glide bomb attack
- Attack part of escalating pattern; civilian casualties up 55% this year
- Zelensky criticises Trump diesel deal, says Russia interprets easing pressure as opportunity
New here? Start with this
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict remains ongoing and has caused the displacement of millions of people and widespread destruction across Ukrainian territory.
Zaporizhzhia is Ukraine's fourth-largest city with a population of over 700,000. Its location near the front line has made it a frequent target for military operations during the war.
Throughout the conflict, Russian military operations have repeatedly attacked civilian areas in Ukrainian cities. These strikes on residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure have caused significant casualties and destruction, making them a major humanitarian concern.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The pattern of strikes on residential buildings, buses, and apartment complexes, coupled with the documented 55% increase in civilian casualties, suggests a deliberate Russian strategy to target civilian population centres rather than military installations. This systematic approach violates international humanitarian law and represents a departure from the principle of distinguishing between combatants and civilians that warfare is supposed to observe.
The case against
Military operations in modern warfare necessarily occur in urbanised environments where military and civilian infrastructure are intermingled. Russia argues it targets legitimate military and logistical objectives, and civilian casualties, whilst regrettable, are an unavoidable consequence of warfare when adversaries position forces among civilian populations. A fair assessment must account for the operational complexity rather than automatically attributing all civilian deaths to deliberate targeting.