Kyiv, Dec 24 (AP) A Russian ballistic missile struck a residential building Tuesday in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and at least one person was killed, local authorities said.

Gov. Serhii Lysak said at least 11 other people were injured and more people could be trapped beneath the rubble of the four-storey apartment block.

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Social media footage showed one side of the building had almost completely collapsed.

“Unfortunately, we are preparing for difficult news,” Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul wrote on his Telegram channel.

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Minutes before his post, Ukraine's air force alerted a “ballistic missile strike threat” for southern and central regions of Ukraine, later signalling a “high-speed” target flying in the direction of Kryvyi Rih.

The strike came as Ukraine prepared to officially celebrate Christmas for the second time on December 25. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed legislation in July 2023 to bring Ukraine's public Christmas holiday in line with the majority of other European countries, rather than the later date followed in Russia.

The shift sought to assert Ukraine's national identity amid Russia's full-scale invasion.

“While the rest of the world celebrates Christmas, Ukrainians continue to suffer from endless Russian attacks," Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, wrote on social media. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)