Russian double-tap drone strikes kill 14 in Ukrainian mall, officials say
Another 121 people were injured when the shopping centre was hit, according to the regional head.
Russian officials report that a "double-tap" drone attack on a Ukrainian mall has resulted in 14 fatalities.
Local authorities in Kryvyi Rih, a city in central Ukraine, have confirmed that at least 14 individuals died in a Russian drone strike on a shopping center. An additional 121 people, including 22 children, sustained injuries in the city's largest mall. Reports indicate that more individuals are still trapped beneath the debris.
President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the daytime assault in his hometown as "absolutely cynical and despicable," noting it occurred in "two waves." The second strike, he stated, specifically targeted emergency personnel responding to the initial attack.
The BBC has authenticated compelling video footage depicting the second drone impacting the already ablaze shopping center in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The Russian military has not issued a statement regarding the incident.
On Friday evening, Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk region, confirmed 14 deaths, expressing concern that the number could increase. He also reported 121 injuries, with 29 individuals in serious condition.
Earlier in the day, Kryvyi Rih Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul stated that the Russian drones were flying at "extremely low altitudes," referring to the attackers as "animals." The mayor also mentioned that "there are missing people who are not responding to calls."
Separately, a significant Russian missile and drone assault on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, claimed 17 lives and injured over 40. Local officials reported that apartment buildings and warehouses across the city were hit overnight, with a children's hospital and school also sustaining damage.
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine's military announced it had conducted strikes on an oil refinery and a military airfield deep within Russia. In recent months, Ukraine has escalated its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer. Kyiv asserts these are legitimate targets as they contribute to financing Russia's war effort.
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory in the southeast.