Russian Missile Strike on Ukrainian Supermarket: 14 Dead, 43 Injured

A Russian missile hit a supermarket in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, killing 14 and injuring 43. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy confirmed the attack, stating it targeted civilians. Emergency services are seeking survivors. The Donetsk region is a frequent target of Russian shelling and air strikes amid ongoing conflict.

A Russian missile struck a supermarket in Kostiantynivka, a frontline town in Ukraine's Donetsk region, on Friday. The assault left at least 14 people dead and injured 43 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

Images shared by Ukrainian authorities showed heavy black smoke rising from the decimated structure. Ukraine's interior minister later confirmed that the blaze had been extinguished. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the strike on X, mentioning that Russian forces hit an ordinary supermarket and a post office with people trapped under the rubble. Rescue operations are ongoing.

Kostiantynivka is approximately 13 kilometers from active combat zones in eastern Ukraine. The area regularly endures Russian shelling and airstrikes. This week, Russia claimed it fought a cross-border assault by Ukrainian troops in its Kursk region, a claim not yet addressed by Kyiv. Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin stated on X that targeting civilians is unjustifiable under any battlefield condition. Meanwhile, Russia denies targeting civilians intentionally, though it has been accused of such actions throughout its 29-month invasion.

Ukrainian regional governor Vadym Filashkin initially mentioned artillery strikes but later specified that a Kh-38 air-to-surface missile was used. Nova Poshta, Ukraine's leading private postal company, reported that its cargo office within the supermarket was damaged. They confirmed their employees were safe, albeit one sustained a concussion. The interior minister noted that residential homes, shops, and over a dozen vehicles were also damaged in the attack.

The Donetsk region remains a focal point of intense fighting as Russia aims to capture strategic locations, including the eastern logistics hub of Pokrovsk.

(With inputs from agencies.)