A Russian airstrike on a prison in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region has left at least 16 people dead and more than 30 wounded, Ukrainian officials reported Tuesday. The overnight attack, involving eight high-explosive aerial glide bombs, also damaged nearby residential areas, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
The strike targeted one of Zaporizhzhia’s prisons, though the specific location has not been disclosed. Fedorov described the destruction as extensive and condemned the repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure in the region, which has been a frequent target since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, labeled the assault as “another war crime,” emphasizing that prisoners retain their fundamental rights under international humanitarian law, including the right to life and protection, regardless of their detention status.
Zaporizhzhia is one of four territories Russia has claimed to annex since 2022, though it remains largely under Ukrainian control. The region continues to face heavy bombardment amid Moscow’s intensified campaign in eastern Ukraine.
The prison strike coincided with a broader wave of Russian attacks. In the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, multiple missile and drone strikes killed at least four people and wounded several others late Monday. A strike on Kamyanske killed two and injured five, while another in Synelnykivsky district left one dead. A 75-year-old woman was also killed and her husband injured when a projectile hit their village home.
Russia, meanwhile, reported Ukrainian drone attacks overnight in the Rostov and Belgorod regions. In Rostov’s Salsk town, one person died in a car struck by debris, and a freight train caught fire. Another civilian was killed and his wife injured in Belgorod.
As violence flares across both sides of the front, former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking during a visit to Scotland, issued a stern ultimatum to Moscow. He warned Russia to agree to a ceasefire within 10 to 12 days or face “sweeping sanctions,” reiterating an earlier 50-day deadline that has so far failed to deter further aggression.
The situation underscores the enduring volatility of the war, now entering its third year.
