At least five people were killed and 67 others injured after a Russian drone strike hit a shopping center in Pavlohrad, in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian officials said.
Eight children were among those injured in the attack, which occurred during the day when the area was crowded with civilians.
The strike caused extensive damage to the shopping center, nearby shops and commercial pavilions, as well as vehicles, while fires broke out at the site.
Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said the attack struck the center of the city at a time when large numbers of people were on the streets. Emergency services and police were immediately deployed to the scene.
Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said all 67 injured people were receiving medical treatment, including the eight children. He added that around 90 percent of the damaged facilities were businesses and commercial premises.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strike as part of what he called a campaign aimed at putting pressure on Ukraine’s civilian population.
The Pavlohrad attack came only days after a Russian drone struck a shopping center in Sumy, killing two people and injuring 20 others.
The latest strikes come as fighting and aerial attacks between Russia and Ukraine have intensified, while diplomatic efforts to reach a peace agreement have yet to produce a concrete result.
