Breaking news and news from Russia’s war in Ukraine on October 7

At least 7 people are killed in Russian missile strikes in Zaporizhia, Ukrainian official says Ukrainian firefighters push out a fire following an attack in Zaporizhzhia on October 6, 2022, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by MARINA MOISEYENKO/AFP via Getty Images) At least seven people were killed when several missiles hit the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia on Thursday, according to a Ukrainian official. Oleksandr Starukh, head of the Zaporizhia regional military administration, shared the information in a post on Telegram. Starukh warned that the death toll could rise as five people are still missing. He also said that at least 21 people were rescued and that teams are still working to find others. Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of intentionally targeting civilians. “There are no military or important objects near the impact site, only civilian and apartment buildings,” Starukh said. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said at least seven Russian missiles “hit people who were sleeping peacefully in their houses.” “More have struck during the day. The Russians continue to deliberately hit civilians to spread fear. Russian terror must end: with force of arms, sanctions and total isolation,” Kuleba continued. A bit of context: Zaporizhia is a major city in southern Ukraine, not far from the front line, and it is home to a nuclear power plant that the international community watches with suspicion. Part of the region is occupied by Russian forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin this week signed measures to annex four Ukrainian regions, including Zaporizhia, in violation of international law.