In Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region), the number of casualties has risen following a second strike by Russian attack drones on a civilian shopping center. Ukrainian media reported this on August 21–22, 2026, citing the Telegram channel of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also published photos from the scene. As of the morning of August 22, five fatalities and at least 52 injured were confirmed, including six children; subsequently, updated data indicated that the number of injured exceeded 90, with more than two dozen in critical condition. All victims are receiving medical assistance.
Two waves of strikes on a civilian object
According to available information, enemy drones struck the shopping center in two waves. The second strike, according to witnesses and emergency services, occurred approximately half an hour after the first hit and the ensuing fire—at a time when rescuers and medics were already working at the scene. This sequence of the attack, directed at a facility where emergency personnel were already present, was described by the President of Ukraine as a "completely cynical and vile" strike on an ordinary shopping center. The published footage shows rubble, glass shards on a wet floor, smoke, and firefighters in protective gear with breathing apparatus working in the destruction zone.
Casualties and injured
Immediately after the attack on August 21, reports indicated five fatalities and more than 50 injured. As information came in from hospitals, the number of casualties rapidly increased, exceeding 90 people, with more than two dozen in critical condition as of the morning of August 22; among the injured are children—at least six. Medical personnel continue to provide necessary care, and exact figures are typically refined as patients stabilize and the initial triage phase concludes.
Reaction of the President of Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in his Telegram channel that such strikes on civilian objects constitute a terrorist act and called on the international community to respond with "real pressure on the aggressor." The head of state emphasized that real accountability for Russia's crimes is necessary to achieve peace. The publication was accompanied by photos of the strike's aftermath, depicting destruction inside the shopping center and emergency services working in smoky conditions.
Contradictory data
There is a discrepancy in the number of casualties in open sources. Initial reports and the President's quote cite the figure "52 injured, including six children," whereas subsequent summaries for the same day indicate that the number of casualties "rapidly increased and exceeded 90 people," with more than two dozen in critical condition. Both versions refer to the same event on August 21, but the difference is usually explained by the time lag between the initial on-site assessment and updated medical data; a single final number has not been recorded at the time of publication. Additionally, some of the original text used emotional and inappropriate language, which has been replaced with neutral professional terminology in this publication.
Context of attacks on August 21
The strike on Kryvyi Rih was part of a series of attacks that, according to Ukrainian media reports, were also launched on August 21, 2026, against Zaporizhzhia and other settlements, where residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged. The incident in Kryvyi Rih attracted special attention due to the double nature of the strike on the shopping center and the hit occurring while rescuers were working, which strengthens accusations against Moscow regarding the targeted destruction of civilian objects and emergency personnel. The Ukrainian side continues to gather evidence for international accountability mechanisms.
