Donetsk: At least 17 people were killed, including a child, after a Russian missile struck a market in the town of Sloviansk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Thursday, officials said.
The missile strike was one of the worst attacks in months in the region, which has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the war. The market was crowded with people shopping for groceries when the missile struck, local officials said.
“This is a deliberate attack on civilians,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk. “Russia is deliberately targeting places where people gather.”
The attack comes as Russia is intensifying its offensive in eastern Ukraine. In recent days, Russian forces have made gains in the region, capturing several towns and villages.
The United Nations has condemned the attack on the market, calling it a “war crime.”
“This is a horrific attack that has killed and injured innocent civilians,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office. “It is a reminder of the urgency of ending the conflict in Ukraine.”
The attack is also a reminder of the dangers of shopping in crowded areas in Ukraine, where Russian forces have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure. In recent weeks, Russian missiles have struck a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, a train station in Kramatorsk, and a school in Lysychansk.
The war in Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced from their homes. The UN estimates that over 10 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since the start of the war.
The international community has imposed severe sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion, but the war shows no signs of abating.
In a speech on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the war would continue until Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine.
“We will not give up anything,” Zelenskyy said. “We will fight for every meter of our land.”