KYIV: At least 16 people have been killed and more than 130 injured after Russian drones struck a shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian authorities said.
The attack took place during the daytime on Friday. The city is the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said 22 children were among those injured. He added that 29 people remained in serious condition, including five children.
Second Drone Strike Raises Alarm
Zelenskiy said a second Russian drone struck the shopping centre about 30 minutes after the first attack.
He described the timing as a deliberate attempt to hit emergency responders who were helping victims of the initial strike.
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The Ukrainian president called the attack a “cynical and despicable” act and said Ukraine would respond.
Rescue Teams Search the Rubble
Rescue workers continued searching the damaged shopping centre after the attack.
In an update early Saturday, Hanzha said authorities preliminarily considered nine people missing, including two children.
Emergency teams were clearing debris from the site while authorities assessed the full scale of the damage.
More Children Killed in Separate Attack
A separate Russian drone strike hit Ukraine’s southern Mykolaiv region on Friday.
Ukrainian state media reported that four people were killed, including three children. A woman was also wounded in the attack.
The latest strikes came as Russia continued its aerial campaign across Ukraine.
Kyiv Also Hit by Russian Missile Strike
The escalation followed another deadly Russian attack on Kyiv on Thursday.
Ukrainian authorities said a Russian ballistic missile strike killed 17 people in the Ukrainian capital.
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Ukraine has also increased attacks inside Russia. Ukrainian forces have targeted oil facilities and logistics infrastructure in an effort to weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain its military campaign.
Zelenskiy Calls for International Action
Zelenskiy urged the international community to hold Russia accountable for attacks on civilians.
He described the Kryvyi Rih strike as an act of barbarism and said Ukraine would take action in response.
The latest attacks add to growing concerns about the continued escalation of the war, which is approaching its fourth-and-a-half year.
