KYIV: At least 16 people have been killed in a missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, who blamed Russia, said those killed were “people who did nothing wrong” – and warned the death toll could increase.
Kostyantynivka, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, is near the front line.
“This Russian evil must be defeated as soon as possible,” Mr Zelensky added. The authorities in Moscow are yet to comment on the claims.
Among the 16 dead are a child, with at least 28 others thought to be injured.
“All services are working,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, adding: “The fire is contained.”
A market, shops and a pharmacy are reported to have been hit.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show the moment of the explosion and its graphic aftermath.
It took place in a busy street as people were flocking to market stalls and café terraces.
An investigation into the attack has been launched by Ukraine’s prosecutor-general, which its office said was in pursuit of “criminal proceedings for violation of the laws and customs of war”.
“Prosecutors are taking all possible and appropriate measures to record war crimes committed by the Russian Federation,” a statement added.
Officials in Russia have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. They have previously denied targeting citizens as part of their offensive.
The attack on Wednesday coincided with a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, where he was due to meet Mr Zelensky.
It was assumed he would announce a fresh US aid package for the war-torn country during his trip.
Kostyantynivka sits close to the battlefield and has been hit on various occasions this year as a result:
- On 2 April: Six civilians were killed, with missiles and rockets damaging 16 apartment blocks and a nursery school
- On 13 May: Two people – including a 15-year-old old girl – were killed in an attack using Smerch rockets that hit high-rise buildings, houses, a petrol station, a pharmacy and shops
- On 24 July: Two children were killed in an attack, which Ukraine said Russian officials used cluster munitions to carry out
It is also about 17 miles (27km) from the city of Bakhmut, where fighting is known to have been intense for some time.
The city of Donetsk has been controlled by Russia’s proxy authorities since 2014, who have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of targeting it since the war with Russia began last February.
Ihor Klimenko, Ukraine’s interior minister, shared images on Telegram of what he said were rescue workers sifting through the rubble.
Courtesy: BBC
