Many Killed in Shopping Mall Attack

At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a Russian drone attack on a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, a major city in southeastern Ukraine, according to local authorities. The assault occurred on Friday, with reports indicating that 14 individuals lost their lives inside the crowded commercial complex. The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who described the attacks as acts of terrorism. The attack took place in Kryvyi Rih, located approximately 350 kilometers southeast of Kyiv. According to military governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Alexander Hanzha, the number of casualties could still rise. At least 103 people were injured, with 27 suffering serious injuries, including one child. Several shops within the mall caught fire following the strikes, complicating rescue efforts. Zelenskyy stated that the attacks were “absolutely cynical and disgusting,” emphasizing that they were deliberate attempts to target emergency services after a fire broke out. He called on the international community to hold Russia accountable for its actions, urging them to respond with real pressure on the aggressor. “For peace to prevail, Russia must truly be held responsible,” he added. Kryvyi Rih had been targeted just days earlier by Russian forces using combat drones and ballistic missiles. Official reports indicated two civilian deaths and nearly a dozen injuries during that previous strike. Earlier this week, another attack in Kharkiv resulted in the deaths of two women aged 66 and 73 in the village of Lebyshe. Five houses were set ablaze, three destroyed, and many others damaged. The region has become a frequent target of Russian attacks since the start of the conflict four-and-a-half years ago. According to Ukrainian air defense reports, Russia has deployed a total of 135 drones against the country, with 107 being shot down. In addition to the attacks in Kryvyi Rih and Kharkiv, a woman was injured in the Mykolaiv region due to a drone strike. A statement from Russia was not immediately available. Meanwhile, in the southern Ukrainian region of Odessa, a border crossing to Moldova was damaged in a Russian drone attack late Thursday night. Passenger and vehicle traffic at the Tabak checkpoint was suspended and redirected to other crossings, according to the Ukrainian Border Guard’s Telegram channel. Russia has been conducting an invasion of Ukraine for nearly four-and-a-half years. Recently, the Russian military has increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure in neighboring areas. In response, Ukraine has launched counterattacks, deploying hundreds of drones against Russian targets. According to unverified claims from Russian air defense, 325 Ukrainian drones have been shot down. In Moscow, several airports temporarily halted operations due to air raid alerts. In the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, a oil refinery caught fire, though it is unclear whether this was linked to Ukrainian counterstrikes. The situation continues to evolve as both sides engage in ongoing hostilities.