Russian 'double-tap' strike on shopping centre in Ukraine kills 14


A site of a shopping centre hit by a Russian drones attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released August 21, 2026. Prosecutor General's Office via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS

KYIV, Aug 21 (Reuters) - ⁠At least 14 people were killed and more ⁠than 120 wounded on Friday when two Russian ‌drones struck a shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, authorities said.

Twenty-two children were among the wounded in ​the daytime attack on President Volodymyr ⁠Zelenskiy's hometown, regional governor ⁠Oleksandr Hanzha said on the Telegram messaging app.

"There are ⁠29 ‌people in serious condition, including five children," he said.

He posted a photo of black ⁠smoke billowing from a large industrial building.

Zelenskiy ​called the attack "absolutely ‌cynical and despicable", saying that a second Russian ⁠drone hit ​the shopping centre half an hour after the first in a deliberate attempt to target emergency services.

"Attacks like ⁠these are nothing less than terrorist ​acts," Zelenskiy said on Telegram, urging the world to hold Russia to account.

Russia is escalating its air war on ⁠Ukraine as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-1/2 year mark. On Thursday, 17 people were killed in a Russian ballistic missile attack on the ​Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Ukraine has also ⁠stepped up its own attacks on Russia, targeting oil ​facilities and logistics infrastructure to try ‌to undermine Moscow's ability to ​wage war.

(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Daniel Flynn; Editing by Alison Williams and Toby Chopra)

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