Russian missile hits pizza restaurant, killing at least 11 Ukrainians

Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday arrested a man they said helped to orchestrate a Russian missile strike on a popular pizza restaurant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday. The attack killed three teenagers and eight adults. Dozens more were injured. The missile damaged 18 multistory buildings, 65 houses, seven schools, an administrative building, and a recreational building, said regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko. Moscow said the strike was targeting the Ukrainian military. Russia has said in the past that it does not aim at civilian targets.

Why is the city significant? Kramatorsk is located in the Donetsk region, which Russia claimed to annex last year but does not fully control. The city houses the Ukrainian military’s regional headquarters. Moscow has demanded Kyiv recognize the annexation of Donetsk and three other regions before peace talks can begin. Ukrainian officials have refused to begin talks until Russia withdraws from the territory that it occupies. 

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Reichard and William Inboden’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about the short-lived rebellion in Russia.