Six killed in 'despicable' Russian attack on shopping centre in Ukraine

At least six people died and approximately 90 were injured, including six children, in a Russian drone attack that struck a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, central Ukraine. Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported that 21 individuals remain in serious condition, one of them a child. Photos shared on Telegram showed thick black smoke billowing from a large industrial building.

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Twenty-one people are in serious condition, including one child.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the attack as "absolutely cynical and despicable." He stated that a second drone hit the shopping center half an hour after the first, indicating a deliberate attempt to target emergency responders. "Attacks like these are nothing less than terrorist acts," Zelenskyy declared. Kryvyi Rih, located about 60 kilometers from the front lines, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces throughout the war.

This strike occurs amid an escalation of Russia's air campaign against Ukraine. Just two days prior, on Thursday, a Russian ballistic missile attack on the capital, Kyiv, resulted in 17 fatalities. The United Nations has noted that the civilian death toll in 2026 has reached its highest point since the initial months of the conflict.

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Absolutely cynical and despicable.

In response to the intensified attacks, Ukraine has also increased its own operations, targeting Russian oil facilities and logistics infrastructure in an effort to disrupt Moscow's war-fighting capabilities. The ongoing conflict continues to inflict heavy civilian casualties and damage across Ukraine.

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Attacks like these are nothing less than terrorist acts.