Russian missiles hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia

• So far 12 people have been injured, he added in a later Telegram post.
• "The terrorist country has shown its beastly face by converting defense weapons into offensive weapons and killing peacefully sleeping people."

State of play: The missiles were launched in two attacks: one before daybreak and another in the morning, per Reuters.

• Russian forces also targeted five other cities in Ukraine on Thursday, including Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, the Guardian reported.
• The attacks come as Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, heads to Ukraine to discuss the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.

The big picture: Zaporizhzhia has become a flashpoint of international concern in recent months, as intermittent shelling has sparked fears potential nuclear disaster.

• Zaporizhzhia is also one of four regions in Ukraine recently annexed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• The Ukrainian counteroffensive has made swift progress, forcing Russian units this week to retreat in the Kherson and Donetsk regions.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with more details.