Vladimir Putin has been slammed as a “madman” after Russia launched on Saturday a devastating attack on a DIY supermarket populated with civilians.
As Russian forces continue to push for advances in the Kharkiv region, they hit the Epicentr K home improvement store with two glide bombs, Ukrainian officials said.
Pictures and videos taken in the immediate aftermath of the attack showed the massive building engulfed in flames and massive plumes of black thick smoke rising from it.
The horrific attack, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said was carried out at a time in which there were more than 200 people in the supermarket, resulted in the death of at least 11 people.
Sharing the updated death toll on Sunday morning, Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said many others were left wounded.
At least six people, Mr Syniehubov had previously said, had died on the spot, 40 had been left wounded and 16 were unaccounted for. In one of his messages, he also noted the absence of military facilities near the supermarket.
Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said: “A large number of people are missing. This is pure terrorism.”
In his evening address to Ukraine, Mr Zelensky didn’t mince his words as he lashed out at the Kremlin for this latest attack on civilians.
He said: “This attack on Kharkiv is another manifestation of Russian madness. There is simply no other way to call it. Only madmen like Putin are capable of killing and terrorising people in such a vile way. It is already known that there are wounded and dead. My condolences to family and friends. Anyone affected will be given the necessary assistance.”
This tragedy decisively put the spotlight back on Ukraine‘s need for air defence protection.
The Ukrainian President said: “When we say to world leaders that Ukraine needs sufficient air defence protection, when we say that real resolve is needed – to be allowed to protect the lives of our people in the way that is most effective so that Russian terrorists cannot even come close to our borders – we are saying about how to literally prevent such terrorist attacks.
“I thank the leaders who really support us, who really see that every decision to support Ukraine is a decision to protect and save lives.”
Russia has been pushing for a breakthrough in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv since May 10, when it launched a major offensive against the northeastern border of the region.