A Russian drone attack on a busy market in southern Ukraine has killed five people and injured 21 others, including a 14-year-old girl, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The strike occurred at 9:50 AM local time in the town of Nikopol, located across the Dnipro River from Russian-occupied territory. Regional prosecutors released images showing market kiosks reduced to rubble, with metal and glass scattered across the scene.
"Two men were injured in a second strike on the same location," the prosecutor's office stated, adding that the attacks are being investigated as potential war crimes.
Nikopol, with a pre-war population of approximately 100,000, has endured frequent attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Nearly half of the town's residents have evacuated for safety, but Saturday's strike targeted a crowded area during peak morning hours, resulting in unusually high civilian casualties.
The market attack follows a series of escalating strikes across Ukraine. On Friday, at least 15 civilians were killed in drone and missile attacks nationwide. Meanwhile, overnight into Saturday, Ukraine launched its own drone and missile strikes against Russian targets.
Russian officials reported that one person was killed and four seriously injured in an attack on the southern city of Taganrog. A Ukrainian defense ministry official attributed these casualties to "Russian air defense operations."
Kyiv also confirmed attacks on two facilities it identified as part of Russia's military-industrial complex: a synthetic rubber and petrochemical plant in Togliatti, and the Alchevsk metallurgical plant in Russian-occupied Luhansk region, where production was reportedly halted due to damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently offered Russia a temporary truce for the Easter holidays, but Moscow has not responded. Meanwhile, British intelligence assessments indicate that while Russia's frontline advances have slowed in recent months, creating what they describe as the "most favourable" conditions for Ukraine in ten months, major daytime attacks on civilian areas have become increasingly common.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled as global attention shifts to other crises. Zelensky recently visited several Middle Eastern nations, offering Ukraine's drone technology in exchange for assistance against Russian missile attacks and new fuel sources. Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been heavily damaged by Russian strikes, making the country increasingly dependent on imported fuel amid surging global oil prices.