At least 16 individuals lost their lives and over 130 sustained injuries on Friday as multiple Russian drones targeted a shopping center in central Ukraine, according to authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate against what he described as an “act of barbarism.” The attack, which occurred in Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, resulted in the injury of 22 children, as reported by regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha.
Hanzha mentioned that among the casualties, 29 individuals are in critical condition, including five children. He shared a photo showing black smoke rising from a large industrial building that was hit during the assault. An update provided by Hanzha early on Saturday indicated that nine people, including two children, were considered missing, while rescue operations were ongoing to clear the wreckage at the shopping center.
Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “absolutely cynical and despicable,” revealing that a second Russian drone targeted the shopping center half an hour after the initial strike in an apparent deliberate attempt to harm emergency response teams. Calling such actions “terrorist acts,” Zelenskyy pledged a response and urged global accountability for Russia’s actions.
European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed shock at the shopping center attack, labeling it as “terror by design” orchestrated by Moscow to make Ukrainian cities uninhabitable. Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, criticized the devastating impact on civilians resulting from the assault in Kryvyi Rih, emphasizing the importance of protecting civilians as per international humanitarian law.
In a separate incident on the same day, a Russian drone strike in Ukraine’s southern region of Mykolaiv led to the deaths of at least four individuals, including three children, with one woman sustaining injuries. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified, with Russia intensifying its aerial assaults as the prolonged battle approaches its 4-1/2-year mark. The two nations have been engaged in a full-scale conflict since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with both sides targeting key infrastructure in an attempt to weaken the opponent’s war capabilities.