Russian attack on Ukraine market kills five
Russian attack on Ukraine market kills five
Market strike in Nikopol
A drone strike by Russian forces targeting a market in southern Ukraine resulted in five fatalities and 21 injuries, including a 14-year-old girl, according to the prosecutor general’s office. The incident occurred at 09:50 local time (06:50 GMT) in Nikopol, a town situated just across the Dnipro River from territory under Russian occupation.
Images released by the regional prosecutor’s office depict shattered market stalls scattered with metal, glass, and remnants of food items. The attack comes after reports of 15 civilian casualties from drone and missile strikes nationwide on Friday.
Ukrainian retaliation in Taganrog
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone and missile assault on the southern Russian city of Taganrog during the night led to at least one fatality and four serious injuries, according to Russian authorities. Rostov regional governor Yuri Slyusar reported that the attack ignited a fire at a logistics company in Taganrog.
Nikopol, a Ukrainian town, has been frequently targeted by Russian attacks. Over half of its 100,000 residents have fled to safer areas. This latest strike, however, struck a bustling location, resulting in higher casualties.
Escalating conflict and international context
Two additional casualties were reported following a second strike on the same market site, the prosecutor said, as investigations into the incident proceed under the banner of war crime scrutiny. Ukrainian air force statements indicate Russia launched nearly 300 drones overnight, with casualties also reported in Kharkiv and the Sumy region.
“Russian air defence operations are to blame for the casualties,” stated a Ukrainian defence ministry official. The official also noted that Kyiv reported two attacks on factories used by the Russian military industrial complex, including a plant in Togliatti producing synthetic rubber and petrochemical materials.
Later, Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed that drone strikes had disrupted operations at the Alchevsk metallurgical plant in the Luhansk region, which is under Russian occupation. The second attack on the facility this month damaged blast furnaces and production shops, the agency said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a temporary ceasefire for Easter, but Moscow has yet to respond. Recent trends show a surge in daytime attacks by Russian forces, which were once uncommon, as international efforts to conclude the war have stalled due to U.S. focus on the Middle East conflict.
