Russian Double-Tap Drone Strike Kills 16 at Kryvyi Rih Shopping Mall
A second drone hit the burning mall half an hour after the first, as emergency crews arrived. Twenty-three children were among the 130 injured in President Zelenskyy's hometown.
Kryvyi Rih1 min read
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Russian drones struck the largest shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih on Friday afternoon, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 130, including 23 children.
The attack unfolded in two waves. The first drone hit the Soniachna Halereia complex around 4:30 p.m., setting shops on fire. A second jet-powered drone struck about 30 minutes later, after emergency responders had reached the scene.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was born in the city, called the strike cynical and despicable. He said the second wave deliberately targeted rescuers. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha described it as a barbaric double-tap intended to maximise civilian casualties.
Regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported nine people still missing early Saturday, among them two children. Twenty-nine of the injured remained in serious condition, five of them children. Firefighters extinguished a blaze that covered more than 9,000 square metres.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, said the drones flew at extremely low altitudes. Local officials and residents described chaos as people fled collapsing ceilings and blocked exits.
Russia has not commented on the strike. Ukrainian authorities and European officials labelled it a terrorist act. Zelenskyy vowed a response.
The mall was busy with weekend shoppers when the first explosion occurred. Rescuers continued searching the rubble through the night and into Saturday.
