Friday briefing: strike kills 51 in Ukrainian village

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ImageThe rally of Ukrainian army and police continues yesterday on a playground in the Ukrainian village of Hroza.Credit...David Guttenfelder for the New York Times

Russian strike kills 51 in Ukrainian village

At least 51 people were killed yesterday when a rocket hit a group of people gathered for a wake in the village of Hroza in northeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said. .

The strike, which hit a store, was one of the deadliest war attacks against civilians since the start of the large-scale invasion by Russia more than 19 months ago. Images verified by The New York Times show one building was almost completely destroyed.

The small enclave had no obvious military or industrial targets nearby. “Almost half the village was killed by a single strike,” said Dmytro Chubenko, a local official.

Photos and videos from the scene published by the Ukrainian authorities showed bodies. on the ground and rescuers climbing piles of debris. Ukraine's emergency services have warned that people could be trapped under the rubble.

Quote: President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike as “a crime obviously brutal Russian.”

Details: There was no immediate comment on the attack from the Kremlin. In the past, Moscow has denied deliberately targeting civilian targets.

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