A Russian drone attack on a market in southern Ukraine has killed five people and injured 21, including a 14-year-old girl, as confirmed by the prosecutor general's office. The attack occurred at 09:50 local time in Nikopol, a town located just across the Dnipro river from territory occupied by Russian forces since the onset of their full-scale invasion.
Images released by the regional prosecutor depict the horrifying aftermath: market stalls ravaged, and the ground littered with debris including metal, glass, and food. This incident follows a recent surge in attacks, which resulted in at least 15 civilian fatalities across Ukraine on the preceding Friday.
In retaliation, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the southern Russian city of Taganrog overnight, resulting in at least one death and severe injuries to four individuals. The regional governor of Taganrog stated that the strike ignited a fire at a logistics company.
Moreover, a Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesperson attributed the incident's fatalities to ongoing Russian air defense operations. Ukraine also announced successful hits on a factory in Togliatti, which is said to produce military parts for Russia.
Nikopol is notably prone to bombardments, with almost half its population of 100,000 having fled due to the conflict's dangers. The timing of this drone attack, occurring in a busy market area on a Saturday morning, has exacerbated public outcry over the high casualty numbers.
In a grim development, there were two additional injuries reported from a second strike on the market shortly after the first strike, with prosecutors currently investigating these attacks as potential war crimes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a truce for the Easter holidays, but the response from Moscow remains dismissive. Additionally, Ukrainian defense officials have reported that overnight, Russia launched nearly 300 drones against Ukraine, with casualties recorded in other regions, including Kharkiv and Sumy. Meanwhile, Moscow claimed to have intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones. The resurgence of major daytime assaults marks a worrying trend as attempts to negotiate an end to the war stall.
Images released by the regional prosecutor depict the horrifying aftermath: market stalls ravaged, and the ground littered with debris including metal, glass, and food. This incident follows a recent surge in attacks, which resulted in at least 15 civilian fatalities across Ukraine on the preceding Friday.
In retaliation, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the southern Russian city of Taganrog overnight, resulting in at least one death and severe injuries to four individuals. The regional governor of Taganrog stated that the strike ignited a fire at a logistics company.
Moreover, a Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesperson attributed the incident's fatalities to ongoing Russian air defense operations. Ukraine also announced successful hits on a factory in Togliatti, which is said to produce military parts for Russia.
Nikopol is notably prone to bombardments, with almost half its population of 100,000 having fled due to the conflict's dangers. The timing of this drone attack, occurring in a busy market area on a Saturday morning, has exacerbated public outcry over the high casualty numbers.
In a grim development, there were two additional injuries reported from a second strike on the market shortly after the first strike, with prosecutors currently investigating these attacks as potential war crimes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a truce for the Easter holidays, but the response from Moscow remains dismissive. Additionally, Ukrainian defense officials have reported that overnight, Russia launched nearly 300 drones against Ukraine, with casualties recorded in other regions, including Kharkiv and Sumy. Meanwhile, Moscow claimed to have intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones. The resurgence of major daytime assaults marks a worrying trend as attempts to negotiate an end to the war stall.
