Drone strike on the "Epitsentr" hypermarket in Kharkiv: one person killed, building partially destroyed

Strike on a hypermarket in the Osnovianskyi district

Around noon on 27 August 2026, a Russian drone struck the "Epitsentr" hypermarket in the Osnovianskyi district of Kharkiv. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing "Suspilne Kharkiv," as well as statements by Oleg Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) on Telegram. According to the rescue services, the impact caused partial destruction of the building's structures and a fire covering an area of about 300 square metres; the fire at the strike site was extinguished, and the aftermath of the attack was documented in photos and videos.

Casualties

According to available information, a man of approximately 40 years old was killed in the attack (data is being verified). A 25-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man sustained injuries. An acute stress reaction, according to Oleg Syniehubov, was experienced by women aged 26 and 58 and a 38-year-old man. All those affected are receiving the necessary medical assistance.

Scale of destruction and rescue operations

The rescue services reported partial destruction of the hypermarket's structures and a fire covering an area of around 300 square metres, which was contained and extinguished. SES units worked at the scene; photo and video materials from the site of the Russian attack were provided by the emergency services. The images show damaged shelving, collapsed structural elements, and firefighters working with water hoses inside the destroyed premises.

Authorities' reaction

Oleg Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, called the incident "yet another outright terrorist act by the enemy against an absolutely civilian object." He confirmed the death of a man of about 40 years old and listed the injured, emphasising that they are receiving medical care. The official emphasis is on the fact that the target of the strike was exclusively a civilian retail object.

Context: strikes on retail chains

Previously, RBC-Ukraine reported that the enemy had hit a shopping centre in Kharkiv, with casualties, and that, according to available data, Russia is preparing targeted strikes on major retail chains in Ukraine. The strike on the "Epitsentr" in the Osnovianskyi district fits within this context and heightens concern about the risk to civilian retail objects.

Contradictory data

There is an inconsistency in the number of casualties in the initial reports. In one of RBC-Ukraine's wordings, it spoke of a "killed person and 5 injured," while in another part of the same material it stated "four more people were injured." At the same time, in Oleg Syniehubov's statement, two people are explicitly named as injured (a 25-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man), while three more (women aged 26 and 58 and a 38-year-old man) are described as having experienced an acute stress reaction. Thus, the figure "5" may include those with a stress reaction, while "4" may reflect only the injured without counting the stress cases, or may be an inaccuracy. The exact number of injured and killed, according to the authorities, is being verified.