On the afternoon of October 25, 2026, Russian military forces launched an attack on the Epicenter hypermarket in Poltava. As a result of the strike, a massive fire broke out at the facility, and emergency services immediately began response operations. According to preliminary data from the regional military administration, a 52-year-old woman sustained injuries of varying severity as a result of the incident.
Attack on the commercial facility and rescue operations
Vitaliy Dyakovnych, head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, confirmed the enemy strike on the shopping center via his official Telegram channel. A rescue operation has been deployed at the scene, with SES units fighting the fire and conducting territory reconnaissance. Specialists continue to clarify the overall scale of destruction and assess the damage inflicted on the city's infrastructure.
Background of nighttime shelling in Kharkiv
This incident occurred against the background of a series of attacks on civilian infrastructure objects in neighboring regions. Specifically, on the night of October 25, Russian drones attacked a shopping center and a civilian enterprise in Kharkiv. The nighttime strikes also caused fires, injuring four people, including three State Emergency Service personnel performing their duties.
Implications for infrastructure and citizen safety
Regular strikes on shopping centers and retail facilities significantly complicate the operation of civilian infrastructure and pose a threat to the lives of civilians. Local authorities urge citizens to observe safety rules during air raid alerts and stay in shelters. Further work to eliminate the consequences of the fire in Poltava continues under the coordination of operational services.
