A NINE-year-old girl and her parents are among the dead after Putin’s deadly wave of missile strikes on Ukraine over the weekend.
According to Ukraine’s military, a second attack on a shelter for the elderly resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left over 80 people injured as they were stuck under debris.
Little Sofia Yavorska, nine, was one of two children who died when their apartment block in Poltava was blown to pieces on Saturday morning.
All five floors of the building were destroyed, sparking a fire which ripped through neighbouring buildings.
Sofia’s grieving grandfather, Igor, said his “entire family” were among the 14 killed – including his son and daughter-in-law, Sofia’s parents.
He said: “They were young people, [both] 37 years old, my granddaughter was nine.
“I wish for the entire Russia to die together with Putin.
“From now on it will be hated for 100 years.”
In a heartbreaking recent photo, Sofia holds up her drawing of a peace dove adorned with a heart-shaped Ukrainian flag.
Around the dove’s neck is a label that reads: “I love Ukraine.”
Also killed in the apartment block strike was Ukrainian actress Anastasia “Nastia” Kolovakh.
The stage star, 30, was paid tribute to by her old theatre group, who said: “Words fail us. Fly high, birdie.”
The governor of Poltava, Volodymyr Kohut, stated that 17 residents of the building were harmed, including four children, and a total of 22 individuals were rescued from the site.
The Ukrainian military reported that another tragic bombing targeted a former boarding school repurposed as a refuge for elderly citizens, resulting in four fatalities and more than 80 individuals sustaining injuries.
This building was in Sudzha, in the Ukrainian-occupied Kursk region of Russia – an area that has seen some of the fiercest fighting in recent months.
Vladimir Sinelnikov, a Kursk activist, said the former school “mainly housed old people and the sick, as well as people who lost their homes as a result of military action”.
Ukraine’s military general staff said: “At the time of the attack, dozens of local residents were inside the building preparing to evacuate.
“The Russians knew that the building housed mainly civilians – local residents, including women and children.”
They added: “Everything possible is being done to rescue the survivors.”
Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, Ukraine’s military spokesman, said that almost 100 people were trapped beneath rubble at the bombsite.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said the attack was typical of Russia’s targeted attacks on civilians.
He wrote on X: “They destroyed the building even though dozens of civilians were there.
“This is how Russia waged war against Chechnya decades ago.
“They killed Syrians the same way. Russian bombs destroy Ukrainian homes the same way.”
Russia blamed Ukraine for the attack, with the defence ministry claiming on Sunday morning that their enemy launched “a targeted missile strike on a boarding school in the city of Sudzha”.
Both strikes were part of deadly wave of 165 drone and missiles that Russia rained down on Ukraine on Saturday, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Ukraine said it shot down 56 drones and redirected 61 Russian drones and redirected a “significant number” of missiles.
Andriy Yermak, a Ukrainian government spokesman, said: “This is the true face of Russia.
“Murderers who have absolutely no respect for any leader in the world or any other nation.”
Putin used nuclear-capable bomber aircraft including Tu-95s and Tu-22s to unleash the Kh-22 missiles at Ukraine.
Nato scrambled its fighter jets in Poland in response to the scale of the attack near the alliance’s eastern border.
It also prepared its anti-air defences in case missiles or drones passed into its airspace.
At the end of a bloody few days, Zelensky said: “This week, there have been hundreds of strikes on our cities and communities — nearly 50 missiles, nearly 660 strike drones, and more than 760 guided aerial bombs were launched by the enemy against our people.
“Russia will not stop on its own. The world must force it to end this brutal and unprovoked aggression.
“It is imperative that we strengthen our defences. We need better protection. Air defence, long-range weapons, sanctions pressure.
“All of this helps protect life here in Ukraine.
“Thank you to everyone in the world who understands the importance of this and continues to believe in and support our country.”
