A Ukrainian strike on Russian-occupied Crimea has killed at least three people and injured seven others, according to Moscow-installed authorities, marking another escalation in the widening cross-border conflict.
The head of the region, Sergey Aksyonov, said the attack hit non-residential buildings in Simferopol early Thursday, adding that emergency services were already at the scene. He said preliminary information indicated three fatalities.
The incident comes a day after Ukraine carried out strikes on energy and military targets in Saint Petersburg, where Russia is hosting the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, a major annual gathering that draws thousands of participants from around the world. Ukraine has described those strikes as retaliation for recent Russian bombardments on its territory.
The latest developments have intensified international concern over the trajectory of the war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned there is a “real” risk of escalation, as Ukraine continues to demonstrate its ability to strike deep inside Russian territory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to address the economic forum, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would respond to the attacks on Saint Petersburg in a “systemic” manner.
Black smoke from earlier strikes was reportedly visible near the forum venue as sessions got underway, underscoring the growing proximity of the war to major international events.
Participants at the forum described a tense atmosphere amid the ongoing conflict, with one attendee saying, “We have been living under such attacks for many years now.”
The latest strike in Crimea highlights the continued expansion of the battlefield and the increasing intensity of attacks on both strategic and symbolic locations as the war grinds on.
