Russia-Ukraine war updates: Russian missiles strike Zelenskyy's hometown

Ukrainian forces have launched a counteroffensive against Russia.

ByTom Soufi Burridge, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy, Yulia Drozd, Nadine El-Bawab, and Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: June 27, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT

More than a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the countries are fighting for control of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine. Ukraine has begun its long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia, officials told ABC News.

Multiple reports have said a major battle has begun in southeastern Ukraine, south of the major Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

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Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Jun 13, 2023, 5:52 am

Russian missiles strike Zelenskyy's hometown, killing 11

At least 11 people were killed and 28 were injured in Kryvyi Rih, as Russian missiles targeted the city overnight, Ukrainian officials said.

Missiles hit residential buildings, including a five-story apartment building, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a Facebook post early Tuesday morning local time.

PHOTO: Police officers work next to the body of a person killed by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 13, 2023.
Police officers work next to the body of a person killed by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, June 13, 2023.
Stringer/Reuters

"More terrorist missiles, Russian killers continue their war against residential buildings, ordinary cities and people," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian on Twitter.

One of the Russian missiles that struck Kryvyi Rih hit a storage facility with bottled water destined for Kherson region. Seven people were killed there, including a 17-year-old boy.

People react at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 13, 2023.
Alina Smutko/Reuters

Russia also attacked Kyiv with cruise missiles overnight into Tuesday morning. All of the cruise missiles were shot down, the Kyiv city military administration said on Telegram

Air raid sirens were activated across Ukraine early Tuesday morning.

-ABC News' Yulia Drozd, Joe Simonetti and Ellie Kaufman

Jun 12, 2023, 11:19 AM EDT

Ukraine makes 1st small gains in counteroffensive

Ukraine is making its first notable advances since the start of its counteroffensive, in the past two days rapidly compelling Russian forces to pull back from three villages on the southern front line.

Russian and Ukrainian public sources confirm Ukraine has liberated the villages in the area known as the Vremeyevskoe salient, at the border of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

A Ukrainian serviceman sits atop a tank, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 12, 2023.
Oleksandr Ratushniak/Reuters

The advances are still small but notable because they show Ukraine beginning to pierce Russia’s defensive line. Since liberating the villages, Ukraine is continuing to push south toward another village, according to Russian pro-war bloggers linked to Russia’s military.

A Ukrainian serviceman looks out of an armored recovery military vehicle, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 12, 2023.
Oleksandr Ratushniak/Reuters

Russia’s pro-war military bloggers are sounding the alarm about the Ukrainian advances. Russian units were forced to pull back from two villages, Neskuchnoe and Blagodatnoe, almost without a fight because of the risk of encirclement.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

Jun 10, 2023, 12:52 PM EDT

Zelenskyy makes 1st comments on counteroffensive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first public comments on Ukraine's counteroffensive, which began earlier this week.

"Counteroffensive and defensive actions, accordingly, are taking place in Ukraine, on which stage, I won’t say in detail," Zelenskyy said.

"I think we should trust our militaries. And I trust them. I am in touch with our commanders of different areas every day: Syrskyi, Tarnavskyi, Moskaliov, Nayev, Zaluzhnyi. Everyone is optimistic. Pass this to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," he added.

Jun 09, 2023, 9:50 AM EDT

Putin says tactical nukes to be deployed to Belarus after July 7 or 8

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will deploy tactical nuclear weapons after July 7 or 8, when storage sites are ready, according to Russian news service Interfax.

"Everything is going to plan in the most sensitive matters you and I have agreed on. As you know, preparations of the relevant facilities will be finalized on July 7-8, and we will start taking measures towards the deployment of respective types of weapons in your territory as soon as that happens," Putin said at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walk during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the resort city of Sochi, Russia, Friday, June 9, 2023.
Pavel Bednyakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

"Everything is going to plan, all is stable," he said.

-ABC News' Anastasia Bagaeva

Jun 09, 2023, 9:19 AM EDT

Counteroffensive begins in southeastern Ukraine, south of Zaporizhzhia

Arguably, Ukraine's counteroffensive was getting going a few days ago, and the Institute for the Study of War said as much on Monday, saying on Twitter that "Russian and Ukrainian officials are signaling the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive."

However, there were significant developments on Thursday. Multiple reports said a major battle has begun in southeastern Ukraine, south of the major Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.

Well-placed unofficial pro-Ukrainian sources said the southeastern front is becoming more active and there are unconfirmed images and reports that Ukraine's new modern German-made Leopard 2 tanks are involved in the offensive.

"The events that are happening now on the front line signal the start of the offensive and Ukraine will intensify its efforts," the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Thursday morning.