Russian Drone Strikes Shopping Mall in Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih

On Friday, Russian drones targeted a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, central Ukraine, resulting in the death of at least 15 individuals and injuring many others, according to local authorities. This incident, along with two other attacks in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, brought the death toll across Ukraine to 21 for the day.

Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, experienced a “double-tap” strike. This involved an initial drone wave followed by another as rescue efforts began. Zelenskyy condemned the attack, labeling it a heinous act. He vowed a response from Ukraine.

Oleksandr Hanzha, who heads the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, confirmed that the mall attack resulted in 15 fatalities and 130 injuries, including 23 children. The region has faced repeated assaults over the four-year conflict, with a significant attack in April 2025 claiming 20 lives, nine of whom were children.

Drone Attacks Across Regions

Earlier the same day, in Kharkiv, a Russian drone attack killed two elderly women and injured two others, as reported by regional head Oleh Syniehubov. Additionally, in Mykolaiv, an attack resulted in four deaths, including three children, according to emergency services.

Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 107 out of 135 drones Russia had launched overnight. The incidents followed a major assault on Kyiv that left 16 dead. This marks a pattern of frequent large-scale strikes over the summer.

Recent attacks have strained Ukraine’s air defenses, particularly with the scarcity of U.S.-supplied Patriot interceptors, the only effective counter to missiles deployed by Moscow.

Ukrainian Counterattacks

Ukraine launched its own drone attacks, hitting a Russian oil refinery and military targets. In Russia’s Belgorod region, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured four. Separate strikes targeted an oil refinery and a military airfield within Russia.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 325 Ukrainian drones overnight across various regions, including Crimea. The conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues to escalate with prolonged aerial assaults and minimal progress on the battlefield.

Ukraine has been enhancing its domestic drone production, prompting global interest from defense entities. Meanwhile, Kyiv attempts to pressure Russia towards peace negotiations, though Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no signs of ceasing the conflict.