At least 15 people have died after a Russian double‑tap drone strike on the largest shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s central city, officials said. A second drone hit the already burning mall, targeting emergency workers on the scene.
An additional 130 people were injured, including 23 children. Rescue crews from four other Ukrainian regions were dispatched urgently to search for survivors trapped amid the rubble.
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as “absolutely cynical and despicable,” highlighting the cruel strategy of a second wave aimed at first responders.
Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha confirmed 15 deaths, noting that two more later died in hospital. He added that 29 of the 130 injured are in serious condition and that the death toll could rise further.
Kryvyi Rih mayor Oleksandr Vilkul condemned the drones as “extremely low‑altitude” attackers, calling the plaguers “animals” and expressed concern over missing residents who were not responding to calls.
This event follows earlier strikes: four people killed in Mykolaiv, another two in Kharkiv, and 17 people killed in a West Ukrainian missile and drone strike on Kyiv the day before.
Across Ukraine, authorities have intensified assaults on Russian‑owned energy infrastructure and logistics hubs, arguing that these are legitimate targets that sustain Moscow’s war effort.
