Zelensky Criticizes U.S. 'Weak Response' to Russian Missile Attack Killing 9 Children

The number of victims from the Russian missile attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine has reached at least 18, half of whom were children; meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, strongly criticized the 'weak response' of the United States. This missile attack, which Kyiv claims involved cluster munitions, occurred on the evening of April 15 and left at least 74 injured. Moscow claimed that it targeted a military meeting in this attack. However, verified photos and videos show the destruction left in a children's playground in a residential area of the city. Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian missile attack on Zelensky's hometown left at least 18 dead. Bridget Brink, the U.S. ambassador in Kyiv, expressed her shock on social media shortly after the attack, stating that she was horrified by the ballistic missile hitting near a playground and restaurant in Kryvyi Rih. She noted that many of the victims were children, writing, 'This is why the war must end.' Zelensky criticized the U.S. ambassador for not mentioning Russia by name in her statement, a move contrary to her previous stance before Donald Trump's presidency. In his social media post, Zelensky published the names of 9 children aged 3 to 17 who were killed in the attack and expressed his disappointment with the U.S. embassy's response. He wrote, 'Unfortunately, the U.S. embassy's response is surprisingly disappointing; such a powerful country, such powerful people, and yet such a weak reaction.' He added, 'They are even afraid to mention the word 'Russian' regarding the missile that killed children.' The Russian Ministry of Defense described the attack as 'high precision' and stated that it targeted a meeting of Ukrainian unit commanders and Western trainers in a restaurant; Kyiv rejected this claim and warned against the spread of 'Moscow's lies.' Ukrainian officials have called recent Russian attacks the deadliest against civilians this year and warned that despite U.S. negotiations with both countries for a ceasefire, Moscow is unwilling to end the war. Zelensky referred to Russia as a country that 'chooses to kill children instead of a ceasefire' and stated, 'Russia must be pressured.' He added, 'More sanctions should be imposed on those who cannot live without ballistic attacks on their neighboring people.' Kyiv had previously accused Moscow of using cluster munitions against civilian targets, but this time the use of such munitions amid efforts for a ceasefire has intensified Ukraine's anger. Cluster munitions refer to smaller explosive devices that spread over a wide area after an initial explosion, with some detonating long after the first attack, posing a continuous danger to local people. The Ukrainian president noted that discussions with Washington regarding the provision of more air defense systems have taken place, stating that the recent attack highlights the urgent need for these systems. He added, 'We rely on our agreements with the U.S. president, who promised to assist in providing more Patriots.' Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has made ending the war in Ukraine a priority of his foreign policy since the beginning of his second presidency. Trump recently warned that if Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, obstructs peace efforts, he will sanction Russian oil. Meanwhile, several EU foreign ministers criticized Vladimir Putin for not agreeing to the U.S. peace proposal during a recent meeting in Brussels. Ukraine has signed this agreement. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy on investment, met with U.S. officials in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday, and the Kremlin stated on Friday that the two presidents have no plans for dialogue. According to Reuters, broader negotiations regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine appear to have stalled. Eyewitness reports, official statements, and materials reviewed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's investigative unit indicate that the restaurant that the Russian army claims was targeted due to a meeting of Ukrainian military commanders and their foreign advisors was actually hosting birthday parties and beauty industry events. Social media posts also show that some of the injured in this attack were individuals attending these events. On the other hand, Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of new attacks on energy infrastructure, a matter that violates the U.S. proposed plan. The night before the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was targeted in a drone attack that left five dead, including a family of three, and over 30 injured. The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced on Saturday that Ukraine has increased its attacks on the energy infrastructure of the country, claiming that in the past 24 hours, it has attacked targets in Russia 14 times. In a statement released on the Telegram messaging app, the ministry stated that Ukraine has 'multiplied its unilateral attacks using drones and artillery on energy infrastructure in various regions of Russia.' Kyiv rejected this accusation, calling it 'fake' and 'misinformation,' stating that it only attacks military targets. Ukraine had previously announced that since March 18, following an agreement between the two countries on a 30-day ceasefire proposal regarding attacks on each other's energy facilities, it had ceased these attacks. Since then, both countries have repeatedly accused each other of violating the agreement.