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, as per authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed a retaliatory action against what he denounced as an “act of barbarism.”
The regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha, disclosed that 22 children were among the injured in the daytime assault on Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Zelenskyy. Hanzha reported that 29 individuals, including five children, are in critical condition, showcasing a photo of black smoke emerging from a large industrial structure.
In an update provided early Saturday, Hanzha stated that nine individuals, including two children, were presumed missing, with rescue teams still clearing the debris from the shopping center. Zelenskyy condemned the assault as “absolutely cynical and despicable,” highlighting that a second Russian drone struck the shopping center half an hour after the initial attack, targeting emergency services intentionally.
Describing such attacks as terrorist acts, Zelenskyy asserted that a response was imminent, urging the global community to hold Russia accountable. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, condemned the shopping center attack, labeling it as part of Moscow’s ruthless war tactics to make Ukrainian cities uninhabitable.
Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, criticized the detrimental impact on civilians resulting from the attack in Kryvyi Rih. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding civilians at all times under international humanitarian law.
In a separate incident on Friday, a Russian drone strike in Ukraine’s southern region of Mykolaiv claimed the lives of at least four individuals, including three children, while leaving a woman injured. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with Russia intensifying its air campaign as the conflict nears its 4-1/2-year mark. Ukraine, in response, has targeted Russian oil facilities and logistical infrastructure to undermine Moscow’s war capabilities. The ongoing conflict originated from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, plunging the two nations into a prolonged state of all-out warfare.