At least 16 individuals lost their lives and over 130 sustained injuries during an assault by multiple Russian drones on a shopping complex in central Ukraine, as declared by authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged a retaliation against what he labeled an “act of barbarism.” The regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha, disclosed that among the casualties in the daytime strike in Kryvyi Rih, which is Zelenskyy’s birthplace, were 22 children. Hanzha noted that 29 individuals, including five children, were in critical condition, with a photo showing dark smoke rising from a large industrial structure.
In an update provided early on Saturday, Hanzha mentioned that nine individuals, including two children, were presumed missing, and rescue teams were still working to clear the wreckage at the shopping center. Zelenskyy condemned the assault as “absolutely cynical and despicable,” highlighting that a second Russian drone targeted the shopping center half an hour after the initial attack in an alleged deliberate effort to aim at emergency responders.
Describing the attacks as terrorist acts, Zelenskyy vowed a response while urging global accountability for Russia’s actions. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, characterized the shopping center strike as a display of Moscow’s extreme cruelty in warfare, emphasizing that Russia’s intention was to render Ukrainian cities uninhabitable.
Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, criticized the devastating impact on civilians following the Friday attack in Kryvyi Rih. He underscored the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian facilities under international humanitarian law, emphasizing the imperative need to safeguard civilians at all times.
In a separate incident on Friday, a Russian drone assault in Ukraine’s southern region of Mykolaiv resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, including three children, and left a woman injured, as reported by Ukrainian state media on Telegram. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified, with Russia escalating its aerial warfare and Ukraine targeting Russian oil installations and logistical infrastructure in a bid to undermine Russia’s military capabilities. This unrelenting conflict stemmed from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.