Ukraine says 'cynical' Russian strike on shopping centre kills five

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Ukraine says 'cynical' Russian strike on shopping centre kills five

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned it as a "cynical and despicable" attack.

Videos on social media showed rescuers rushing to help the wounded on the street outside, as smoke poured out of the building.

Then a second drone then smashed into the roof of the building around half an hour later -- a repeat strike that had "targeted the emergency responders", said Zelensky.

"As of now, five deaths have been reported," he added.

Oleksandr Ganzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, said another 91 people had been wounded -- 21 of them seriously.

Shops inside the mall were on fire, he added.

Kryvyi Rig, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has come under repeated Russian attacks throughout the war.

The industrial city lies roughly 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the front line.

Russia has intensified its bombardments of Ukrainian cities in recent months.

The United Nations reported that the civilian death toll in 2026 had risen to its highest level since the first months of the war.

Zelensky urged a strong response from Ukraine's allies.

"The world must respond to them accordingly –- with real pressure on the aggressor. For peace to be possible, Russia must face real accountability," he said.

Countries allied with Ukraine will meet Monday to reaffirm support for Kyiv, in talks held on Ukraine's independence day, the French president's office announced Friday.

Reporting originally appeared via Citizen Digital. Read the full source for additional context.