A double-tap Russian drone strike on the largest shopping center in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih has left 15 people dead and 130 injured, according to local authorities. The attack, which occurred during the day, was described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as a cynical and despicable act, noting that the second wave of the strike specifically targeted emergency responders who had arrived at the scene.
Oleksandr Hanzha, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk region, confirmed the death toll on Friday evening, noting that two of the fatalities occurred after victims were transported to the hospital. Among the 130 people injured, 29 are reported to be in serious condition, and officials fear the number of deaths may rise further as search operations continue. Rescuers from four neighboring Ukrainian regions have been deployed to assist in the search for those still trapped in the rubble.
Kryvyi Rih Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul reported that the Russian drones operated at extremely low altitudes during the attack, which he characterized as the work of animals. He also noted that several individuals remain missing and are not responding to communication attempts. Specially trained psychologists have been dispatched to provide support to survivors of the incident.
The violence extended to other parts of the country as well. Local officials reported that four people, including three children, were killed in Russian attacks in the Mykolaiv region, while two others died in the Kharkiv region. In Zaporizhzhia, three people were injured when a drone exploded near a taxi. These incidents follow a major aerial assault on Kyiv the previous day, which resulted in 17 deaths and over 40 injuries, causing significant damage to residential buildings, warehouses, a school, and a children's hospital.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military announced it had conducted strikes against an oil refinery and a military airfield located deep inside Russian territory. Kyiv maintains that such facilities are legitimate targets as they contribute to the financing of Russia’s ongoing invasion, which began in February 2022 and has resulted in Moscow occupying approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Another 130 people – including 23 children – were injured in the city's biggest mall. More people are also reported to be trapped in the rubble.
Ukraine has in recent months intensified attacks on Russian energy facilities, as well as on warehouses of the country's largest online retailer Wildberries.
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