The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, criticized the U.S. reaction to the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih as inadequate.
President Zelenskyy released a statement after one of the deadliest shelling incidents in Kryvyi Rih.
"The tragic loss of young lives includes three-year-old Tymofiy, who sadly passed away at the hospital today. Also gone too soon are seven-year-old Radyislav, Arina who remains eternally seven years old, nine-year-old Herman, fifteen-year-old Danylo, another fifteen-year-old named Mykyta, and fifteen-year-old Alina. Additionally, Kostyantyn who will always be remembered as sixteen years old, along with seventeen-year-old Nikita—they all fell victim to the Russian ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih," said the president.
The attack struck a road lined with apartment blocks, stores, an eatery, and a play area for kids. An additional 62 individuals sustained injuries, among them 12 youngsters.
Moreover, during the rescue efforts, Russia employed Shahed-type drones, which led to an additional seven injuries and one fatality.
Zelenskyy stressed that each such attack must elicit a robust global reaction. He expressed gratitude to the EU nations, Japan, Switzerland, the UK, and additional allies for their backing. However, he also took issue with the stance of the US, noting that the American embassy was not bold enough to refer to the missile as Russian.
"I'm unfortunately dismayed by the U.S. Embassy’s response: with such a powerful nation and resilient populace, their reply has been surprisingly feeble. It seems they're even hesitant to utter the term ‘Russian’ concerning the missile attack that claimed young lives,” the president emphasized.
Zelenskyy additionally noted that Ukraine is expecting more air defense systems, ones they have discussed with Joe Biden, potentially including the delivery of Patriot systems.
"Indeed, the conflict needs to come to an end. However, to achieve this, we should not shy away from using accurate terminology. It is essential not to hesitate in exerting pressure on the individual responsible for continuing this war and disregarding every global suggestion aimed at ceasing hostilities," Zelenskyy emphasized.
It’s important to remember that on the evening of April 5, Kryvyi Rih faced a significant assault from Russia. The attack began with a ballistic missile and continued with strikes from Shahed-style drones. This onslaught resulted in at least 19 fatalities, among whom were nine children.
Furthermore, the international community condemned the Russian missile strike on the residential area of Kryvyi Rih. This crime sparked widespread outrage.