Russian forces carried out a "double-tap" drone strike on a busy shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, killing at least 15 people and injuring 130 others on Friday. Ukrainian authorities reported that two waves of drones struck the Solnechnaya Galereya shopping center approximately 30 minutes apart, with the second wave targeting emergency responders who had arrived to assist victims of the initial attack.
President Zelensky condemned the attack on X, formerly Twitter, calling it "absolutely cynical and despicable" and stating that such attacks are "nothing less than terrorist acts." He vowed that Ukraine would "definitely respond" to the strikes. The Ukrainian air force confirmed the use of Shahed drones, which reportedly flew at extremely low altitudes.
Among the injured were 23 children. More individuals were reported to be trapped in the rubble following the strikes. The city of Kryvyi Rih, located about 30 miles from the front lines, has been a target of Russian attacks throughout the conflict. This latest incident follows a significant Russian aerial assault on Kyiv just 24 hours prior, which killed at least 16 people and damaged multiple locations across the capital, including homes, a school, and a children's hospital.
Ukraine has been urging international partners to provide additional air defense systems, such as the U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, to counter the increasing frequency and intensity of Russian missile and drone attacks. Russia's defense ministry claimed responsibility for some of the Kyiv strikes, stating they targeted industrial sites involved in missile and drone production, as well as an ammunition depot and a logistics center. Ukraine's intelligence agency reported that Russia has the capacity to produce over 200 cruise and ballistic missiles monthly and possesses substantial stockpiles of various missile types.