Russian drone strike on Kryvyi Rih shopping center kills 6, injures 103. Second attack targeted rescue workers 30 minutes later

A Russian drone attack on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on August 21, 2026, resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to 103 others, including 11 children, according to local authorities. The strike occurred during daylight hours, setting shops inside the building ablaze. Regional military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha reported that the attack was delivered in two waves, with the second strike targeting emergency responders approximately 30 minutes after the first attack ignited the fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incident as a clear act of terrorism, demanding that the international community apply pressure on Russia for accountability. Twenty-seven individuals remained in critical condition, with three of them being children, as reported by Ukrainian national broadcaster Suspilne. One victim succumbed to severe injuries in the hospital, raising the death toll to six.

The second wave of the drone attack targeted rescue workers who were responding to the initial fire. Kryvyi Rih, situated in central-southern Ukraine, has endured frequent Russian missile and drone assaults throughout the ongoing full-scale war, resulting in substantial civilian casualties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that such strikes constitute terrorism.

Russian military Telegram channels identified the shopping center as a target shortly after the attack, citing the use of a "Geran-4" jet-powered drone. However, these channels did not offer any evidence to support the claim that the shopping center was a legitimate military objective. Russian forces have consistently employed drones and missiles to strike Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure throughout the full-scale invasion.

On August 21, Russian forces conducted 59 attacks across four districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, using drones, artillery, and aerial bombs, as reported by Hanzha. In addition to the Kryvyi Rih attack, Russian strikes occurred in Nikopol, Synelnykove, and Kamianske districts, causing damage to apartment buildings, private residences, and vehicles.

A total of three people were injured in Nikopol district and two in Synelnykove district, with several of the injured requiring hospitalization. The assaults also inflicted damage on private homes in Synelnykove district and ignited a fire in the Krynychanska community of Kamianske district. Meanwhile, Kyiv has urged Elon Musk to permit strikes inside Russia, but the proposal has encountered an obstacle.

Ukraine has warned Russia of potential attacks and sabotage during the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. Latvia has reinstated the practice of naming companies that engage in trade with Russia or Belarus after a three-year hiatus.