KYIV: A block of flats in Sloviansk, eastern Ukraine, was shelled by Russian forces on Friday, killing nine people, including a two-year-old boy. The child was rescued from the rubble but died on the way to the hospital.
On April 15, 2023, a quiet neighbourhood in Sloviansk, Ukraine, was struck by seven missiles, hitting five buildings, including five homes, a school, and an administrative building.
The strike occurred as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill making it easier to mobilize citizens into the country’s army and block them from leaving the country if drafted.
Russia is also pushing further into Bakhmut, a hotspot located 45 kilometers southeast of Sloviansk. If Kyiv loses the battle in Bakhmut, it could put Sloviansk and other cities at risk.
Nine people were killed in the attack, and 21 were injured. Five people were still missing, and rescue workers dug through the rubble to find survivors.
The impact of the shelling broke windows and sent shards of glass flying throughout homes. The street below, including a sports ground, was covered in debris, torn pages from school books, and children’s drawings.
President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia for the attack on residential buildings, calling it brutal and happening in broad daylight.
Casualties in Russian strike in Ukraine
Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, sent her condolences to the family of the child who was killed in the attack.
The fear in Russia is high that the government is preparing plan for a fresh mobilization drive after rushing a bill through parliament to create a digital draft system.
Draftees would be banned from travelling abroad and required to report to an enlistment office once electronic call-up papers were received.
The Russian army said that the private paramilitary group, Wagner assault units, were conducting high-intensity combat operations to conquer the western districts of Bakhmut.
Russian airborne troops supported assault squads and halted the enemy’s attempts to deliver ammunition to Bakhmut city and bring in reserves.
An intelligence source said any pullout from Bakhmut would be slow and gradual because only a narrow escape path was left.
