Rescuers work at a residential building which was heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike
(Picture: REUTERS)Zaporizhzhia, a major city close to the frontline in the south, has been hit by a series of missile strikes.
According to the city’s governor, Oleksandr Starukh, Russian air strikes destroyed several residential buildings, killing at least one woman on Thursday morning.
Twelve people were also wounded, including a three-year-old child while five were trapped under the rubble, he added.
Hours later, however, a further wave of strikes were reported in the city which caused “significant destruction”.
"Another enemy missile attack. Stay in shelters!" Mr Starukh told residents on the Telegram messaging app.
Photographs released by Ukrainian emergency services showed huge piles of rubble and fires where residential buildings had been hit.
Russia has not commented on the recent air strikes in the southern Ukrainian city which has been a constant target for Russian forces in recent weeks.
Zaporizhzhia is one of the four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia - although the referendums have not been recognised by the West.
Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to seize control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe’s biggest, which is still run by Ukrainian engineers despite being captured early in the war by Russian forces.
This comes as Ukrainian forces moved the frontline 20km forward as part of the new counteroffensive.
According to the Ministry of Defence’s latest update, the Russian army is now struggling to restock its frontline with “high-quality rapidly deployable forces” while the Ukrainian army has reclaimed valuable city’s such as Lyman.
