War in Ukraine: a Russian missile hit a shopping center and Zelenski said the death toll was “unimaginable”

A Russian missile that hit a shopping center on Monday of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine caused many dead and woundedaccording to local authorities.

In a message posted on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the number of victims was “unimaginable”as the first reports state that there were more than 1,000 people inside the place at the time of the attack.

According to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, at least two people died and 20 were injured, nine of them seriously. “Rescue operations continue,” he said on Telegram.

“The missile against Kremenchuk hit a very popular place it had nothing to do with hostilities“, Vitali Maletsky, mayor of that city, which had 220,000 inhabitants before the war, pointed out on Facebook.

“There are deaths and injuries. We will have more details later,” he added.

The regional governor, Dmytro Lunin, denounced a “war crime” and a “crime against humanity” as well as an “undisclosed and cynical act of terror against the civilian population”.

Lunin confirmed that more than 1,000 civilians were inside the mall at the time of the attack. On Telegram, Lunin said the building was still engulfed in flames.

Ukrainian authorities said emergency teams were on the scene.

All-out Russian assault

The attack came at a time when Russia was organizing a total assault on the last Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Luhansk region, “throwing fire” on the city of Lysychansk from the ground and from the air, according to the local governor. Western leaders have promised strong and continued support for Kiev.

Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces are punishing Lysychansk after capturing neighboring Sievierdonetsk in recent days.

It is part of an intense Russian offensive to wrest the Donbas region from the Ukrainian government in what Western experts say is the new target of the war initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and now in its fifth month.

“They are firing on the city both from the air and from the ground. After taking Sievierdonetsk, the enemy army concentrated its forces on capturing our last stronghold in the Luhansk region – Lysychansk,” said Haidai. Associated Press.

The Russians are trying to cut off access to the city from abover, “destroying everything in range of their artillery and rockets,” said Haidai.

In the past week, Russian forces have captured several villages and towns southeast of Lysychansk, which has become a focus for forces and artillery.

This was reported by President Volodimir Zelensky at least six civilians were killed and another 31 injuredas part of the intense Russian bombing of various cities in the past 24 hours, including Kiev and major cities in the south and east.

Source: AP and AFP