Russian double-tap drone strike on Kryvyi Rih shopping centre kills 15 and injures 130

Ukrainian officials say the death toll from a Russian drone strike on a shopping centre in the central city of Kryvyi Rih has risen to 15, with 130 people injured. The attack hit the city's largest shopping complex in two waves on Friday, according to local and national officials. The second strike reportedly came after emergency crews had already arrived at the scene.

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Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said two of the people who died later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. He said 29 of the injured were in a serious condition, while rescuers continued searching for people believed to be trapped in the rubble. Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, said the drones were flying at extremely low altitude and described the attackers as animals.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack absolutely cynical and despicable. The latest figures mark an increase from earlier reports of 14 dead and 121 injured, including 22 children. Officials said 23 children were among the wounded in the later toll.

Rescue teams from four other Ukrainian regions were being deployed to help with the search and recovery effort, underlining the scale of the emergency response. Videos verified by the BBC showed the second drone hitting the already burning shopping centre in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The strike matters because it adds to a pattern of repeated attacks on civilian sites in Ukraine far from the front line.

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Kryvyi Rih lies about 60 kilometres from the front line and has been repeatedly targeted during the war. The reported use of a second drone after the first impact has also raised concern about the safety of first responders, who are often among the first to reach damaged sites. The attack came a day after 17 people were killed in a Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv, according to earlier reporting.

It also followed Ukrainian strikes on an oil refinery and a military airfield inside Russia, as both sides continue to target rear-area infrastructure. In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy facilities and warehouses linked to the country's largest online retailer, while Moscow has intensified bombardments of Ukrainian cities. Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of President Zelenskyy and one of Ukraine's major industrial centres.

The city has been hit repeatedly throughout the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The latest strike has again drawn attention to the vulnerability of shopping centres, residential areas and other public places during the conflict. What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage inside the shopping centre and whether more victims may still be found.

Officials said casualty figures could rise further as rescue work continues and missing people are accounted for. Further updates are expected as emergency teams complete their search and authorities identify those killed and injured.

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Ukrainian authorities say at least 14 people have been killed and about 120 injured after a Russian drone strike hit a shopping centre in the central city of Kryvyi Rih. The attack took place during the day and was described by officials as a double-tap strike, with a second drone reportedly hitting after the first impact. The city, which lies about 60 kilometres from the front line, has been repeatedly targeted during the war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack "absolutely cynical and despicable" and said the second strike came as emergency services rushed to the scene. Local officials said six children were among the injured, and 21 people were in serious condition, including one child. Oleksandr Hanzha, the regional governor, posted images showing black smoke rising from a large industrial building near the shopping centre.

The latest figures mark a sharp rise from earlier reports of six dead and more than 90 wounded, underlining the scale of the damage and the speed with which casualty numbers have changed. The attack adds to a pattern of repeated Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, a major industrial city in Ukraine and the hometown of the president. It also comes amid a broader escalation in Russia's air campaign against Ukrainian cities.

The incident has wider significance because it highlights the continuing vulnerability of civilian sites far from the front line. Shopping centres, residential areas and other public places have been hit repeatedly during the war, raising concerns about the protection of civilians and the ability of emergency crews to work safely after an initial strike. The reported use of a second drone after rescuers arrived has also intensified scrutiny of tactics that can increase casualties among first responders.

The attack comes against a backdrop of rising civilian losses in 2026, which the United Nations has said are at their highest level since the early months of the war. It also follows a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv that killed 17 people on Thursday, according to earlier reporting. Ukraine has meanwhile stepped up its own attacks on Russian oil facilities and logistics infrastructure, as both sides continue to target each other's rear areas.

What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage inside and around the shopping centre, and whether the second drone strike was part of the same coordinated attack or a separate follow-up. Officials are still assessing the aftermath, and casualty figures may change as rescue work continues. Further updates are expected from Ukrainian authorities as they identify the dead and injured and complete their response on the ground.

A Russian strike hit a busy shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rig on Friday, killing six people and wounding more than 90, according to authorities. The attack took place in the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky and prompted a strong response from him on social media. He described it as an "absolutely cynical and despicable strike" against an ordinary shopping centre.

Oleksandr Ganzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, said earlier that the number of casualties was still rising. Unverified videos shared on social media showed rescuers helping people with bleeding wounds near the shopping centre. Several clips also appeared to show a second drone crashing into the roof of the smoking building minutes after the first impact, although that footage has not been independently confirmed.

The strike adds to a pattern of repeated attacks on Kryvyi Rig during the war. The industrial city lies about 60 kilometres from the front line, making it vulnerable to long-range Russian strikes despite being far from active ground fighting. The scale of the casualties also underlines the continuing risk to civilians in urban areas, where shopping centres and other public places have become frequent targets of bombardment.

The attack comes as Russia has intensified strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent months. The United Nations has said the civilian death toll in 2026 has risen to its highest level since the first months of the war, highlighting the broader human cost of the conflict. That trend has increased pressure on Ukraine's allies to maintain military and political support, particularly as Moscow continues to target cities with missiles and drones.

Kryvyi Rig has been repeatedly attacked throughout the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The city is one of Ukraine's major industrial centres and has remained a regular target in the wider campaign against infrastructure and civilian areas. The latest strike also comes ahead of renewed diplomatic activity among Ukraine's allies, who are due to meet to reaffirm support for Kyiv.

What remains unclear is the exact sequence of the attack, including whether the apparent second drone impact seen in videos was part of the same strike or a separate event. The full extent of the damage at the shopping centre has not yet been detailed, and casualty figures may still change as rescue work continues. Further official updates are expected from Ukrainian authorities as they assess the aftermath and identify those killed and injured.

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