Russian Drone Attacks Destroy Epicentr Mall in Mykolaiv

A Russian drone attack completely demolished the Epicentr K shopping mall in Mykolaiv, leaving 520 employees jobless, according to the company's report on Facebook. The assault commenced on September 4, with the initial drone strikes targeting the mall's central section. Emergency services and warehouse personnel swiftly extinguished flames during the early attacks.

However, a sixth strike struck the furniture center's warehouse, forcing workers and firefighters to take shelter for about 30 minutes as more Russian drones hovered overhead. During this forced delay, flames engulfed an area of 42,000 square meters (452,000 square feet), driven deeper into the structure by strong winds until the building's walls began to crumble.

Epicentr's director, Oleksandr Dmytryshyn, stated in a Facebook post that had it not been for the last hit, they would have salvaged the shopping center, emphasizing their efforts. The destruction directly affected 520 employees, many of whom had previously been reassigned to Mykolaiv following earlier Russian attacks that destroyed or damaged their facilities in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa.

Epicentr K, established by Oleksandr and Halyna Hereha in 2003, initially opened a home improvement store in Kyiv. The chain now operates 72 shopping centers in Ukraine, covering a retail area of over 2 million square meters (21.5 million square feet) and employing around 38,000 individuals. Approximately 4,600 of its workers are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2025, the company achieved a revenue of Hrn. 81.2 billion ($1.9 billion).