An attack by multiple Russian drones on a shopping center in central Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 16 individuals and left over 130 people injured, according to authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the incident as an “act of barbarism” and vowed to respond. The assault took place in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Zelenskyy, with 22 children among the wounded, as stated by regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha. Hanzha reported that 29 individuals, including five children, are in critical condition following the daytime attack, which caused black smoke to billow from a large industrial building.
As rescuers continued efforts to clear the rubble of the shopping center, Hanzha provided an update early Saturday, revealing that nine people, including two children, were considered missing. Zelenskyy described the attack as “absolutely cynical and despicable,” noting that a second Russian drone targeted the shopping center half an hour after the initial strike in an apparent effort to harm emergency services. He labeled such attacks as terrorist acts and promised a response while urging the international community to hold Russia accountable.
In a statement, Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, criticized the impact on civilians from the assault in Kryvyi Rih. Meanwhile, a separate drone strike in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region claimed the lives of at least four individuals, including three children, and injured a woman. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated, with Russia intensifying its air campaign and Ukraine targeting Russian oil facilities and logistics infrastructure. The ongoing conflict began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.