Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia injures five, sparks huge mall fire

A Russian drone strike on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Friday morning left five people injured and triggered a massive fire at a shopping centre, according to the regional State Emergency Service.

Dmytro Chebonenko, a representative of the service, said the attack targeted one of the regional centres with drones. All five casualties received medical assistance at the scene.

The blaze engulfed a shopping centre, spreading across more than 14,000 square metres before firefighters managed to bring it under control. Emergency crews worked to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were repeatedly interrupted by the renewed threat of additional strikes, forcing them to pause operations and seek shelter.

The attack came as Russian forces continued their aerial campaign against Ukraine, with a second consecutive night of drone strikes targeting the Kyiv region. Officials there reported damage to numerous residential and commercial structures, including warehouses, private houses, and apartment buildings. The overnight attacks in the Kyiv region resulted in at least one fatality and two injuries.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed its forces had struck a warehouse in the Kyiv region that it said was storing Ukrainian cruise missiles and rocket fuel.