Girl, 9, & parents killed in Putin’s brutal missile strike on Ukraine as second blitz leaves four people at shelter dead

A NINE-year-old miss and her parents are among the dormant aft Putin's deadly question of rocket strikes connected Ukraine implicit the weekend.

A 2nd blitz connected a structure for the aged killed 4 and wounded much than 80 radical who were trapped nether rubble, according to Ukraine's military.

Little Sofia Yavorska, nine, was 1 of 2 children who died erstwhile their flat artifact successful Poltava was blown to pieces connected Saturday morning.

All 5 floors of the gathering were destroyed, sparking a occurrence which ripped done neighbouring buildings.

Sofia's grieving grandfather, Igor, said his "entire family" were among the 14 killed - including his lad and daughter-in-law, Sofia's parents.

He said: “They were young people, [both] 37 years old, my granddaughter was nine.

“I privation for the full Russia to dice unneurotic with Putin.

“From present connected it volition beryllium hated for 100 years.”

In a heartbreaking caller photo, Sofia holds up her drafting of a bid dove adorned with a heart-shaped Ukrainian flag.

Around the dove's cervix is simply a statement that reads: "I emotion Ukraine."

Also killed successful the flat artifact onslaught was Ukrainian histrion Anastasia "Nastia" Kolovakh.

The signifier star, 30, was paid tribute to by her aged theatre group, who said: "Words fail us. Fly high, birdie."

Another 17 residents of the artifact were injured, including 4 children, with 22 successful full rescued from the building, according to Poltava's governor, Volodymyr Kohut.

Another devastating onslaught connected a erstwhile boarding schoolhouse being utilized to structure aged radical killed 4 and wounded much than 80, according to the Ukrainian military.

This onslaught was successful Sudzha successful the Ukrainian-occupied Kursk portion of Russia - an country that has seen immoderate of the fiercest warring successful caller months.

Vladimir Sinelnikov, a Kursk activist, said the erstwhile schoolhouse “mainly housed aged radical and the sick, arsenic good arsenic radical who mislaid their homes arsenic a effect of subject action".

Ukraine's wide unit said: "At the clip of the attack, dozens of section residents were wrong the gathering preparing to evacuate.

"The Russians knew that the gathering housed chiefly civilians - section residents, including women and children.

They added: "Everything imaginable is being done to rescue the survivors."

Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, Ukraine's subject spokesman, said that astir 100 radical were trapped beneath rubble astatine the bombsite.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said the onslaught was emblematic of Russia's indiscriminate killing.

He wrote connected X: “They destroyed the gathering adjacent though dozens of civilians were there.

“This is however Russia waged warfare against Chechnya decades ago.

"They killed Syrians the aforesaid way. Russian bombs destruct Ukrainian homes the aforesaid way.”

Russia blamed Ukraine for the attack, with the defence ministry claiming connected Sunday greeting that their force launched "a targeted rocket onslaught connected a boarding schoolhouse successful the metropolis of Sudzha".

Both strikes were portion of deadly question of 165 drone and missiles that Russia rained down connected Ukraine connected Saturday, according to the Ukrainian aerial force.

Ukraine said it changeable down 56 drones and redirected 61 Russian drones and redirected a "significant number" of missiles.

Andriy Yermak, a Ukrainian authorities spokesman, said: "This is the existent look of Russia.

"Murderers who person perfectly nary respect for immoderate person successful the satellite oregon immoderate different nation."

Putin used nuclear-capable bomber craft including Tu-95s and Tu-22s to unleash the Kh-22 missiles astatine Ukraine.

Nato scrambled its combatant jets successful Poland successful effect to the standard of the onslaught adjacent the alliance's eastbound border.

It besides prepared its anti-air defences successful lawsuit missiles oregon drones passed into its airspace.

At the extremity of a bloody fewer days, Zelensky said: “This week, determination person been hundreds of strikes connected our cities and communities — astir 50 missiles, astir 660 onslaught drones, and much than 760 guided aerial bombs were launched by the force against our people.

“Russia volition not halt connected its own. The satellite indispensable unit it to extremity this brutal and unprovoked aggression.

“It is imperative that we fortify our defences. We request amended protection. Air defence, long-range weapons, sanctions pressure.

"All of this helps support beingness present successful Ukraine.

"Thank you to everyone successful the satellite who understands the value of this and continues to judge successful and enactment our country.”