On Saturday, Russia bombed a hardware superstore in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuring 33. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as "vile." The regional governor of Kharkiv, Oleg Synegubov, confirmed that two Russian guided bombs struck a construction hypermarket, killing two men who worked there.
Initially, Synegubov reported two fatalities and 20 injuries, but later updates indicated the number of wounded had risen to 33. An AFP video journalist captured footage of thick black smoke emanating from the gutted Epitsentr DIY superstore building, with firefighters working to extinguish the blaze ignited by the strikes. The Epitsentr chain specializes in household and DIY goods.
President Zelensky highlighted on Telegram that over 200 people could have been inside the hypermarket during the daylight attack, which he emphasized was an attack on an "obviously civilian" target. Ukraine's rescue service posted images showing firefighters combating the blaze within the building, which had its roof torn open and debris scattered. The fire was raging over an area of 10,000 square meters but was eventually localized by the firefighters.
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, frequently experiences attacks from Russian missiles. Just days before, at least seven people were killed in missile strikes on the city. This latest assault occurred after Russia initiated a ground offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10. However, Ukraine reported on Friday that it had managed to halt Moscow's advance and was counterattacking.
"Russia delivered another brutal blow to our Kharkiv by attacking a construction hypermarket in broad daylight on Saturday," Zelensky said. He described the attack as "pure terrorism" and called out Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of perpetrating such vile acts of killing and terrorizing civilians.
Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov mentioned that according to the store's owner, 15 employees were unaccounted for, and approximately 200 people were inside the building during the strikes.
Additionally, Russian troops launched attacks in border areas of the Kharkiv region on Saturday. The village of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, a railway hub near the border, was shelled, injuring five individuals, according to the regional prosecutor's office. The attack targeted two vehicles: a car with two passengers and an ambulance carrying a driver, a paramedic, and a 64-year-old patient. Russia also conducted air strikes on the Kupiansk district, damaging a factory and residential buildings, the prosecutor's office reported.
In the eastern Donetsk region, shelling on Saturday resulted in the death of a 40-year-old woman and injured four others, according to Vadym Filashkin, head of the regional administration.
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