Editor's note: This is a developing story.
A Russian drone attack on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on 21 August killed at least 14 people and injured 121, including 22 children, local authorities said.
The attack struck the shopping mall during the day, setting shops inside the building on fire, regional military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha said.
The attack came in two waves, with the second strike hitting emergency responders about 30 minutes after the first strike caused the fire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Twenty-nine people remain in serious condition, including five children, according to Head of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council Oleksandr Vilkul.
One of the victims died in hospital from severe injuries sustained in the attack, bringing the death toll to six, according to Hanzha.
Second strike hit emergency responders
The second wave came as emergency crews were responding to the fire caused by the first strike.
Zelenskyy called the attack “simply an act of terrorism” and said the international community should respond with real pressure on Russia.
“For peace to be possible, Russia needs to face real accountability,” Zelenskyy said.
Kryvyi Rih, in central-southern Ukraine, has faced frequent Russian missile and drone attacks throughout the full-scale war, with repeated strikes causing heavy civilian casualties.
Russian channels acknowledge strike on civilian target
Russian military Telegram channels described the shopping center as a target shortly after the attack, according to Kryvyi Rih Times.
One Russian channel claimed that a “Geran-4” jet-powered drone had been used to strike the shopping and entertainment complex and said the “target was hit” before noting that a fire had broken out inside the building.
The channel also published the precise coordinates of the shopping center.
The posts did not provide evidence that the shopping center was a legitimate military target.
Russian forces have repeatedly used drones and missiles to strike Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure throughout the full-scale invasion.
Russian attacks across Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Russian forces attacked four districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast nearly 60 times on 21 August using drones, artillery, and an aerial bomb, Hanzha said.
In addition to the attack on Kryvyi Rih, Russian strikes hit communities in Nikopol, Synelnykove, and Kamianske districts, damaging apartment buildings, private homes, and cars.
Three people were injured in Nikopol district, while two others were injured in Synelnykove district. Several of the injured were hospitalized, Hanzha said.
The attacks also damaged private homes in Synelnykove district and caused a fire in the Krynychanska community of Kamianske district.
