Russian strike kills 50 in one of the deadliest attacks of Ukraine war

Kyiv: A Russian missile strike has resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people in a village near the eastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, marking one of the most devastating attacks on civilians since the conflict's onset, CNN reported.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that Moscow's forces targeted a cafe and a shop in Hroza, located in the Kharkiv region, just after midday local time (5 am ET).

The aftermath of the strike depicted scenes of emergency workers navigating through dense rubble, tending to the six individuals injured.
Among the casualties were 29 victims whose bodies were identified, including a 6-year-old boy, with the other remains sent to facilities in the city of Kharkiv. Tragically, the missile struck when locals had gathered inside the store for a wake, resulting in a level of devastation unseen since a 2022 attack on a railway station in Kramatorsk that claimed the lives of at least 50 people, according to CNN.

Hroza, a village housing 330 people, suffered immense loss, with approximately one-fifth of its population wiped out in the attack. Ukrainian Interior Minister Klymenko decried the incident as "a terrible tragedy for Ukraine" and a "war crime committed by the Russians" that must be met with accountability.

Ukrainian officials identified the weapon used in the attack as an Iskander missile, a ballistic missile with a relatively short range, capable of carrying a warhead weighing between 500 and 700 kilograms. The Iskander missiles have been frequently employed by Russian forces against Ukraine, leading to significant civilian casualties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy labeled the attack a "demonstrably brutal Russian crime" and a "completely deliberate terrorist attack." He called for an end to Russian terror and condemned those who support Russia, emphasizing the need to halt such genocidal aggression.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal described the attack as "brutal and cynical" and expressed the urgent need to stop Russian terror. He called for a coordinated and united effort, with the support of international partners, to prevent further loss of life and injuries from enemy missiles and shells, CNN reported.