At least 15 people, including three children, were killed and 16 others injured when Russia attacked the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia with five glide bombs on Saturday morning, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and emergency services.

The glide bombs struck residential buildings in the southeastern city, causing significant destruction. Photos and videos from the scene show an apartment block largely destroyed, with the ground floor hit and upper floors collapsing.

Acting Mayor Regina Kharchenko described the scene, stating that the ground floor was hit, causing the floors above to collapse. She reported that over 80 workers were engaged in ongoing search and rescue operations, which were expected to continue throughout the day. Rescuers were pausing regularly to listen for any signs of survivors trapped under the rubble.

President Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating that Russia had struck "at our very heart" and that the deaths of children were an "awful grief." He noted that 13 other regions had also been hit overnight, warning that Ukraine's responses to these Russian strikes would come. Zelensky has previously criticized what he sees as Russia interpreting any easing of pressure as a signal to continue the war, emphasizing that Russia must "feel its losses."

Zaporizhzhia is a major regional center with over 700,000 residents, located less than 10 miles from the front line and frequently targeted by Russian drones and missiles. The city is a key Ukrainian stronghold in a region where Russia has claimed annexation.

This latest attack follows a pattern of increased Russian strikes causing significant civilian casualties. On Thursday, at least 33 people were killed in a Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in Kramatorsk, in the eastern Donetsk region. The day before, 22 people, including five children, died when a Russian missile hit an apartment block in Pryluky, east of Kyiv.

According to United Nations data, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine jumped by 55% in the first eight months of the current year. Russia has also intensified attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, particularly during winter months, since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.

In response to the broader conflict, Ukraine has also targeted Russian infrastructure, including recent strikes on data centers owned by the tech giant Yandex. The ongoing conflict continues to result in a high toll on civilian life and infrastructure in Ukraine.