Russian attack on Ukraine market kills five

Russian Attack on Ukraine Market Leaves Five Dead

A drone strike by Russian forces targeting a market in southern Ukraine resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to 21 others, including a 14-year-old girl, according to the prosecutor general’s office. The incident occurred at 09:50 local time (06:50 GMT) in Nikopol, a town bordering the Dnipro River, which separates it from territory currently under Russian control.

Images shared by the regional prosecutor reveal damaged market stalls scattered with debris, including metal, glass, and food items. This attack follows a day of civilian casualties, with at least 15 people killed in drone and missile strikes across Ukraine on Friday. Meanwhile, Ukraine retaliated with strikes on the southern Russian city of Taganrog, which left one person dead and four others critically hurt, as reported by Russian authorities.

“The attacks were being investigated as a war crime,” said the prosecutor’s office, highlighting the severe impact of the strike on a bustling area. Despite frequent Russian bombardments, Nikopol’s population has been dwindling, with nearly half of its 100,000 residents fleeing for safety. The timing of this particular strike—early Saturday morning—exacerbated the toll, as the market was a crowded location.

Russian forces launched nearly 300 drones overnight, with casualties reported in both Kharkiv and the Sumy region. In response, Moscow claimed to have intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones. Rostov regional governor Yuri Slyusar noted that the Taganrog strike ignited a fire at a logistics firm’s premises. A Ukrainian defense ministry official, however, attributed the casualties to “Russian air defence operations,” underscoring the escalating intensity of the conflict.

Ukraine also targeted factories believed to be used by the Russian military industrial complex. The defense official cited a “massive attack” on a synthetic rubber plant in Togliatti, while the Security Service reported that a second strike halted production at the Alchevsk metallurgical plant in Luhansk, a Russian-occupied region. The blast damaged critical facilities such as blast furnaces and production shops.

President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holiday period, but Moscow has yet to acknowledge the offer. The surge in daytime attacks by Russia, once uncommon, continues to rise, coinciding with stalled diplomatic efforts led by the United States. These efforts have faltered as US President Donald Trump redirected focus toward the Middle East conflict.