Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the United States embassy on Saturday for issuing what he described as a “weak” statement regarding a deadly missile strike on his hometown, Kryvyi Rih, that occurred on Friday.
The Russian missile attack resulted in the death of 18 people, including nine children, and injured more than 60 others.
The missile struck a residential area near a children’s playground in Kryvyi Rih, marking one of the deadliest strikes in recent weeks in the ongoing conflict.
Zelensky expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. embassy’s response because it failed to explicitly blame Russia for the attack.
The Ukrainian President accused the embassy of avoiding the mention of Russia as the perpetrator behind the missile attack.
The missile strike that occurred on Friday evening has intensified the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, bringing international attention to the situation.
Zelensky’s statements came amid concerns about international responses to the ongoing conflict, especially from countries and entities supporting Ukraine.
He emphasized the importance of clear and strong denunciation of acts by Russia that result in civilian casualties in Ukraine.
Local authorities in Kryvyi Rih confirmed the death toll and the extensive damage caused by the missile strike, which also resulted in significant infrastructure damage in the city.
The Ukrainian government has declared three days of mourning following the attack on Kryvyi Rih.
The U.S. embassy in Ukraine has yet to issue a revised statement in response to Zelensky’s criticism.
