Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned what she described as Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets, accusing Kyiv of "taking out its rage on the civilian population" and warning of repercussions. Officials reported six dead and 26 wounded in Kirov and said at least 12 were killed and 19 wounded in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya region after an attack on a Kyrylivka tourist facility. These claims have not been independently verified. The article notes the broader context of a multi-year war that has inflicted heavy civilian harm on both sides.
Zakharova Denounces Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Civilians; Officials Report Multiple Casualties
FILE PHOTO - Press Secretary of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova accepts the Order of Merit to the Fatherland 4th class during a ceremony to present state decorations at the Moscow Kremlin. (is associated with: «Russia's Zakharova condemns Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilians») Alexander Kazakov/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, sharply condemned recent strikes she says were carried out by Ukrainian forces on targets inside Russia and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, state news agency TASS reported on Saturday.
Damaging rhetoric and warnings
"Kiev is suffering a military defeat and is unable to turn the tide of the fighting, so it is taking out its rage on the civilian population," Zakharova was quoted as saying. She added that both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and "his Western puppet masters" would "pay dearly for every crime."
Known for her combative language, Zakharova specifically referenced reported strikes in the city of Kirov in Russia and in the Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhya region of southern Ukraine.
Reported incidents and casualties
Local officials say Ukrainian combat drones struck a defence company in Kirov earlier in the week. Governor Alexander Sokolov said a missile hit a factory in the city — about 800 kilometres north‑east of Moscow — leaving six people dead and 26 wounded, according to his office.
In the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhya, occupation authorities reported that Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least 12 people and wounded 19. Yevgeny Balitsky, the Moscow-installed head of the local administration, said the overnight strike hit a tourist facility in the settlement of Kyrylivka.
Verification and wider context
These casualty figures and the details of the attacks have not been independently verified. Independent confirmation of battlefield claims is often difficult amid ongoing hostilities and competing official narratives.
Russia’s armed forces have been conducting military operations in and against Ukraine for more than four years. Observers say the conflict has increasingly affected civilian infrastructure on both sides, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction.
What to watch next
Zakharova’s remarks underscore rising tensions and rhetoric that could influence diplomatic exchanges and military responses in the coming days. Independent reporting and confirmation of the incidents will be essential to corroborate the differing accounts offered by Moscow-aligned officials and other sources.
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