On this photograph supplied by the Ukrainian Navy administration, firefighters work on a hearth at a shopping center following a Russian drone assault in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Russian drones slammed right into a busy procuring centre in jap Ukraine on Friday (August 22, 2026), killing 16 individuals in an assault condemned as “cynical and despicable” by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The assault on Kryvyi Rig, Mr. Zelenskyy’s hometown, comes as Russia has intensified its bombardments of Ukrainian cities in latest months.
4 extra individuals, together with three minors, have been killed in one other strike within the southern Mykolaiv area, Inside Minister Ivan Vygivsky mentioned on Telegram.
Movies on social media of the Kryvyi Rig incident confirmed rescuers speeding to assist the wounded on the road outdoors, as smoke poured out of the constructing.
A second drone smashed into the roof of the constructing round half an hour after the primary — a repeat strike that Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned in a publish on X was “focusing on the emergency responders”.
Ukrainian emergency companies initially mentioned the assault had killed 15 individuals, wounding 130 others, 23 of them kids.
Oleksandr Ganzha, the pinnacle of the Dnipropetrovsk regional army administration, later posted on Telegram that “the demise toll from the enemy assault has risen to 16”.
In his X publish, Mr. Zelenskyy condemned “a fully cynical and despicable strike…carried out by the Russians towards an peculiar procuring centre”.
Kryvyi Rig, an industrial metropolis roughly 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the entrance line, has come underneath repeated Russian assaults all through the battle.
Allies to fulfill
The United Nations reported that the civilian demise toll in 2026 had risen to its highest stage for the reason that first months of the battle.
Ukraine’s allies are to fulfill on Monday to reaffirm their assist for Kyiv in talks held on the nation’s independence day.
The assembly of the so-called Coalition of the Keen might be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron – becoming a member of through video hyperlink – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the brand new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Round 10 leaders together with European Council chief Antonio Costa might be in Kyiv for the coalition assembly, in line with an EU official.
Mr. Zelenskyy urged a powerful response from Ukraine’s allies.
“The world should reply to them accordingly — with actual strain on the aggressor. For peace to be attainable, Russia should face actual accountability,” he mentioned.
Mr. Zelenskyy held a name with UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday (August 21, 2026), updating him on Russian strikes and the civilian casualties they’ve brought on, the Ukrainian chief mentioned on X.
The European Union’s high diplomat condemned the strike “as terror by design” and threatened “essentially the most far-reaching Russia sanctions listings for the reason that begin of the battle”.
“Russia’s assault towards a procuring centre in (Kryvyi Rig) reveals absolutely the and utter depravity of Moscow’s battle,” Kaja Kallas wrote on X, claiming that Moscow “needs to make Ukrainian cities unliveable”.
Kyiv has repeatedly appealed to its allies for added assist as Russia steps up its strikes, with Ukrainian forces struggling particularly to intercept salvos of ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has additionally escalated retaliatory strikes on Russia in latest months, partially to attempt to strain Moscow into coming to the negotiating desk to finish Europe’s deadliest battle since World Struggle II.
Diplomatic efforts have failed to maneuver the 2 sides in the direction of a deal, with Russia demanding sweeping territorial and political concessions from Kyiv.
Mr. Zelenskyy has dominated out agreeing to these phrases, arguing it could quantity to an efficient capitulation that would go away his nation dangerously uncovered to a different Russian assault.
Revealed – August 22, 2026 06:24 am IST
