Rescuers Search Through Night After Deadly Russian Double-Tap Drone Strike on Ukrainian Shopping Centre
Emergency crews in central Ukraine worked through the night searching for survivors after a devastating Russian “double-tap” drone strike hit a busy shopping centre in the city of Kryvyi Rih, leaving at least 16 people dead and more than 130 injured in one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent months.
The attack unfolded in two stages on Friday afternoon. Ukrainian officials said an initial drone struck the Sunny Gallery shopping centre during peak business hours, trapping shoppers and workers beneath collapsed concrete and twisted metal. About 30 minutes later, as firefighters, medics, and rescue teams rushed to the scene, a second drone struck the same location. Authorities described the tactic as a deliberate “double-tap” strike designed to target first responders and increase civilian casualties.
As darkness fell, emergency personnel continued digging through the rubble with heavy machinery, search dogs, and thermal imaging equipment, hoping to locate anyone still trapped beneath the wreckage. Officials warned that the death toll could rise, with several people reported missing and dozens remaining hospitalized in critical condition.
Regional officials said more than 130 people were injured in the attack, including at least 22 children. Hospitals across Kryvyi Rih received a steady stream of casualties suffering burns, blast injuries, and fractures. Medical teams worked around the clock as blood donation centres appealed for volunteers to help treat the wounded.
Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has repeatedly come under Russian attack since the full-scale invasion began. However, Friday’s strike stands out because of its apparent focus on rescuers responding to the initial explosion.
President Zelenskyy condemned the assault as an “act of barbarism” and accused Russia of intentionally targeting emergency workers. He said the second strike demonstrated a calculated effort to inflict maximum casualties and terrorize civilians, adding that Ukraine would respond to what he described as another deliberate attack on non-military targets.
International condemnation followed quickly. European leaders and officials criticized the attack, with renewed calls for stronger sanctions against Moscow and additional military support for Ukraine. Several governments argued that repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure reinforce the need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, particularly as Russia continues expanding its drone campaign.
The strike came just a day after another major Russian missile barrage on Kyiv that killed multiple civilians, highlighting a sharp escalation in aerial attacks across Ukraine. Military analysts say Russia has increasingly relied on drones and missiles to strike cities far from the front lines as the ground war remains largely stalled.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting many drones launched overnight, but officials acknowledged that the country’s air defence network remains under severe pressure. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly warned that shortages of advanced interceptor missiles have made it more difficult to protect major cities from large-scale attacks.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued launching long-range drone strikes against military and industrial targets inside Russia, aiming to disrupt logistics, fuel supplies, and defence production. Those operations have intensified in recent months as Kyiv seeks to weaken Russia’s ability to sustain its invasion while demonstrating that the conflict can also reach Russian territory.
Despite the ongoing military exchanges, the humanitarian impact remains severe. Images from Kryvyi Rih showed shattered storefronts, burned vehicles, and rescue workers combing through mountains of debris as anxious relatives waited nearby for news of missing loved ones. Entire sections of the shopping complex were reduced to rubble, illustrating the destructive power of the drone strikes.
The latest attack is likely to renew international debate over the protection of civilians during armed conflict and whether additional measures are needed to deter attacks on populated areas. Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over strikes on residential neighbourhoods, hospitals, schools, and commercial centres since the war began.
For residents of Kryvyi Rih, however, the focus remains on the rescue effort. As crews continue searching the collapsed shopping centre, families are hoping that more survivors will be found beneath the debris. With investigations underway and casualty figures still changing, the attack has once again underscored the heavy civilian cost of a war that shows little sign of ending.
