Sixteen people were killed and 130 injured in a drone attack on a market in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, local authorities said. The attack, carried out on Friday, involved two drones; the second drone targeted rescue workers at the scene after the first struck the centre. The total death toll has risen to 16, including those whose bodies were found in the rubble during rescue operations that lasted at least two days.
Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said everything was being done to speed up the rescue operation, but work at the scene could continue for another two days due to the scale of the destruction and ongoing threats of new Russian attacks. Fifty-two injured people, including 14 children, are currently being treated in hospitals in the city, and several have already undergone surgery. A large fire, which covered an area of 9,000 square metres, has been extinguished, but fears of new attacks remain.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as "cynical and despicable", highlighting the gravity of the loss. During the night, the warring sides exchanged attacks, with the Russian military reporting the loss of 457 Ukrainian drones. Meanwhile, in the Russian city of Krasnodar, two children were killed in a drone attack, according to local authorities. Other incidents were recorded in Ukrainian cities, such as Samara, including attacks on infrastructure, which has led to increased tension on the border.
These events highlight the complexity of the conflict, where not only military but also civilian targets are struck. Russia has stated that civilians are the target of these attacks, while Ukraine claims its actions are directed against military objectives. This dynamic underscores the complexity of the conflict, where the boundaries between military and civilian targets often overlap, further complicating the situation.
