ALBAWABA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a Russian airstrike on a hardware store in Kharkiv which killed at least 11 people with several other injuries.
In a post on Telegram, Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov stated that the death toll at Epitsentr store has soared to 11 people. Earlier, 6 people were found dead on the spot in the targeted area, with more than 40 injuries and 16 others reported missing.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack "madness," complained of the absence of air defense systems, and urged allies to send air defense systems as quickly as possible to help defend Ukrainian territories.
"As of now, it is believed that more than 200 people were in the hypermarket. All the emergency services are already on the site and providing assistance, rescuing people, and extinguishing the fire that has completely engulfed the building. There are killed and injured people," Zelenskyy said on X.
Additionally, a "military store and command post" inside a retail center was destroyed by a missile strike, according to a security source quoted by Russia's TASS state news agency.
"No contact with some of the staff," the regional governor declared, adding, "Our information indicates that visitors may still be in the building".
Since Russia's ground offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10, several areal and ground attacks have been reported across the city, with massive damage in various facilities. On Friday, Ukraine declared that it was launching a counterattack after successfully stopping Moscow's advances.
Images of firefighters dousing the burning Epitsentr shop building with water were shared by Ukraine's rescue agency. The building's roof was ripped off, and debris was scattered all over the place.
