A drone strike originating from Russia has resulted in the deaths of five individuals and left 21 others injured, including a 14-year-old girl, according to information released by the prosecutor general’s office.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:50 AM local time in Nikopol, a town situated across the Dnipro River from territories occupied by Russia since the full-scale invasion commenced. Visuals released by the regional prosecutor’s office depicted market stalls in disarray, with debris including metal, glass, and food scattered across the scene.
This event follows a series of civilian casualties sustained across Ukraine on Friday, where drone and missile strikes reportedly claimed the lives of at least 15 individuals. In a separate development, Russia stated that a Ukrainian attack involving drones and missiles on the southern Russian city of Taganrog overnight resulted in at least one fatality and four serious injuries. Yuri Slyusar, the regional governor, noted that the strike ignited a fire at a logistics company within the city.
An official from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence attributed the casualties in Taganrog to “Russian air defence operations.” Kyiv also reported successfully targeting a factory in Togliatti, a city it claims produces components utilized by Russia’s military forces.
Nikopol Under Frequent Fire
Nikopol is no stranger to aerial attacks, with a significant portion of its approximately 100,000 residents having evacuated for safety. However, the timing and location of Saturday’s drone strikes, which occurred in the midst of a busy Saturday morning in a populated area, resulted in a high number of casualties.
The prosecutor reported that an additional two men sustained injuries in a second strike on the same site. These attacks are currently being investigated as potential war crimes.
Despite President Zelensky’s offer of a truce for the Easter holidays, Moscow has not yet responded. Ukraine’s air force stated that Russia launched nearly 300 drones against Ukraine again overnight. Casualties were also reported in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and the northern Sumy region.
Concurrently, Moscow announced it had intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones. Russia’s daytime attacks, once infrequent, have seen a notable increase. This escalation occurs while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, spearheaded by the United States, have stalled, coinciding with a shift in focus by former US President Donald Trump and his team to the Middle East.