Russia on Friday (local time) launched a barrage of drones targeting a shopping centre in central Ukraine, killing 16 people and leaving more than 130 injured, authorities said.
The attack on Kryvyi Rig, Zelensky’s hometown, comes as has intensified its bombardment of Ukrainian cities in recent months, AFP reported.
Videos on social media of the Kryvyi Rig incident showed rescuers rushing to help injured people on the street outside, as smoke poured out of the building.
About 30 minutes after the first strike, another drone hit the building’s roof. Ukrainian President Volodymyr said on X that the follow-up strike was aimed at emergency responders.
Initially, the Ukrainian emergency services said the attack had killed 15 people and wounded 130 others, 23 of them children. However, Oleksandr Ganzha, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, later posted on Telegram that “the death toll from the enemy attack has risen to 16”.
Kryvyi Rig, an industrial city located about 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the front line, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces since the war began.
Ukrainian President vows response
Reacting to the incident, vowed on Telegram to respond to what he called an “act of barbarism,” Reuters reported. Urging the world to hold Russia accountable, he added, “Attacks like these are nothing less than terrorist acts.”
In a post on X, Zelenskyy shared an update regarding the attack and wrote, “A rescue operation is currently underway in Kryvyi Rih following a strike on a shopping mall. There are many casualties. As of now, 14 people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. More than 100 people have been injured, among them 11 children. An absolute Russian atrocity. They’re just monsters. We will definitely respond.”
Zelenskyy seeks strong response from allies
Zelenskyy, who sought a strong response from allies, added in his X post, “It is important that we have everything to protect life. It is important that the world does not remain silent about all this. There must be an end to this Russian war – and we need the world to help us make that happen.”
He also held a call with (UN) chief Antonio Guterres on Friday following the attack and updated him on Russian strikes and civilian casualties.
Condemning the strikes, the ‘s top diplomat called them “terror by design” and threatened “the most far-reaching Russia sanctions listings since the start of the war.”
Kaja Kallas wrote on X, “Russia’s attack against a shopping centre in (Kryvyi Rig) shows the absolute and utter depravity of Moscow’s war,” and added that Moscow “wants to make Ukrainian cities unlivable.”
Kyiv has repeatedly urged its allies to provide more support as Russian strikes intensify, while Ukrainian forces face particular difficulty in intercepting waves of ballistic missiles, AFP reported.
Russia ramps up attacks in Ukraine
Moscow is escalating its air war on Kyiv as fighting on the battlefield moves toward the four-and-a-half-year mark.
Interior Minister Ivan Vygivsky said on Telegram that four more people, including three minors, were killed in another strike in the southern Mykolaiv region.
On Thursday, at least 17 people were killed in Kyiv following a Russian ballistic missile attack.
Kyiv has also stepped up its own attacks on and has been targeting oil facilities and logistics infrastructure to try to undermine Russia’s ability to wage war.
Diplomatic efforts have failed to move Russia and Ukraine towards a deal, with Moscow demanding sweeping territorial and political concessions from Kyiv. The Ukrainian President has rejected the proposed terms, saying they would effectively amount to surrender and leave Ukraine vulnerable to another Russian assault.
(with agency inputs)
