At least 16 individuals lost their lives and over 130 sustained injuries on Friday following multiple Russian drone strikes targeting a shopping complex in central Ukraine, as confirmed by authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the incident as an “act of barbarism” and vowed to retaliate.
The regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha, disclosed that among the casualties in the daytime assault on Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s birthplace, were 22 children. Hanzha further revealed that 29 individuals, including five children, were in critical condition, with black smoke seen emanating from a large industrial structure.
In an update provided early Saturday, Hanzha mentioned that nine individuals, including two children, were reported missing, and rescue operations were ongoing to clear the debris at the shopping center.
Zelenskyy denounced the attack as “completely cynical and despicable,” noting that a second Russian drone targeted the shopping complex thirty minutes after the initial strike, apparently to hinder emergency response efforts.
Describing such acts as terrorist actions, Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity for holding Russia accountable and assured a retaliatory response. In a statement on X, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, denounced the shopping center assault as a manifestation of Moscow’s heinous warfare tactics aimed at rendering Ukrainian cities uninhabitable.
Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, expressed grave concern over the civilian casualties resulting from the Kryvyi Rih attack on Friday. He emphasized the imperative of upholding international humanitarian law that prohibits indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian properties.
In a separate incident the same day, a Russian drone strike in Ukraine’s southern region of Mykolaiv claimed the lives of at least four individuals, including three children, and left a woman injured. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has witnessed an escalation in aerial warfare, with both sides engaging in aggressive military actions.
Ukraine has retaliated by targeting Russian oil facilities and logistical infrastructure in a bid to undermine Moscow’s military capabilities. The intense conflict between the two nations commenced when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.