Putin Claims Strikes Have “Positive” Impact After Deadly Mall Attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin made cynical statements justifying strikes on Ukraine during an interview with state media propagandist Pavel Zarubin on Aug. 22, after a Russian attack on a Kryvyi Rih shopping center killed 16 people and injured 140. Putin claimed Russian strikes impact combat operations in a “positive way” and stated that Kyiv “opened a Pandora’s box” by attacking Russian…
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the recent drone strike on a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, in an interview on Saturday, Aug. 22. The attack killed at least 16 civilians and injured 140 people. During the interview on Russian state media, Putin claimed that Russian strikes in Ukraine have a "positive" impact on the course of combat operations.
He emphasized that Russian forces have intensified their offensive and are "confidently solving the tasks" of their "special military operation." Despite Russia's systematic targeting of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, Putin stated that Ukrainian strikes on Russian economic sites have "opened a Pandora's box." The Russian leader dismissed Ukrainian proposals for a ceasefire as "exotic and unacceptable," accusing Kyiv of attempting to intimidate Russians and disrupt the country's simulated elections.
The double-tap drone attack in Kryvyi Rih targeted emergency responders who were trying to extinguish fires and search for survivors. At least nine people, including two children, were reported missing after the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike as a "cynical and despicable" terrorist act, calling for a strong response from the international community.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of using the double-tap tactic to maximize casualties, describing it as "pure terror."
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
