Russian attack on Ukraine market kills five
Russian Attack on Ukraine Market Kills Five
A drone strike targeting a market in southern Ukraine resulted in five fatalities and 21 injuries, according to the prosecutor general’s office. The incident occurred at 09:50 local time (06:50 GMT) in Nikopol, a town situated across the Dnipro River from territory under Russian control since the full-scale invasion began.
Images shared by the regional prosecutor reveal damaged market stalls scattered with debris, including metal, glass, and food items. This follows reports of at least 15 civilians killed in drone and missile strikes nationwide on Friday. Meanwhile, Ukraine launched an attack on the southern Russian city of Taganrog, resulting in one death and four serious injuries, as confirmed by Russian authorities.
Escalating Conflict in Nikopol
Nikopol, a Ukrainian town frequently subjected to bombardment, has seen nearly half its 100,000 residents relocate for safety. The recent attack struck during a bustling morning, leading to significant casualties. A second strike on the same location added two more injured individuals. The prosecutor’s office is investigating the attacks as potential war crimes.
Ukrainian forces reported deploying nearly 300 drones overnight, causing casualties in Kharkiv and the Sumy region. Russia claimed to have downed 85 Ukrainian drones. In Taganrog, a logistics company’s premises caught fire after the drone strike, according to Rostov regional governor Yuri Slyusar.
Ukraine’s Counterattacks and Escalation
A Ukrainian defense ministry official attributed the damage to “Russian air defence operations.” Kyiv also disclosed two attacks on facilities linked to the Russian military industrial complex. One targeted a synthetic rubber and petrochemical plant in Togliatti, while another struck the Alchevsk metallurgical plant in Luhansk, a Russian-occupied area. The second attack in a month damaged blast furnaces and production units, per Ukraine’s Security Service.
President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a truce during the Easter holiday period, but Moscow has not responded. The frequency of daytime Russian attacks has risen sharply, with efforts to broker peace through the U.S. stalling after President Donald Trump redirected attention to the Middle East conflict.
