Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia, killing three and injuring 12

Russia launched a deadly attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on the evening of March 21, killing three people, including a 20-year-old woman, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

At least 12 people were injured in the strike, which set multiple high-rise buildings and homes on fire. Several apartment complexes sustained severe damage, with emergency services working through the night to extinguish the flames and rescue survivors. The operation concluded at around 1:00 a.m. local time.

This marks the second attack on Zaporizhzhia in 24 hours. On March 20, Russian forces targeted the city’s outskirts with guided aerial bombs, injuring six people, including a four-year-old child.

Zaporizhzhia, once home to 710,000 residents before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, remains a frequent target of Russian strikes. The region is also home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces since 2022, and a key point of concern in ongoing diplomatic efforts between Ukraine and the US.