Russian glide-bomb raid on Zaporizhzhia kills one, injures dozens

In a coordinated strike lasting an hour and a half, Russian aircraft unleashed eight glide bombs on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, targeting residential neighborhoods across four districts. The blasts carved massive craters and ruined 22 apartment buildings, killing a 71-year-old woman and wounding 31 others, among them a 16-year-old girl, according to regional chief Ivan Fedorov. Zelenskyy responded on social media, pressing foreign partners to provide Patriot missile systems, which he claims are essential for defending civilians against these weapons.

He noted that Patriot interceptors are scarce because of the ongoing conflict in Iran. The United States has not yet finalized a licensing decision for Ukraine to produce its own Patriots, and Zelenskyy suggested that Elon Musk’s Starlink could help target Russian missile sites. The attack follows a broader wave of Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, including hits on Kyiv-controlled Crimea and Russian ports.