In a devastating incident, a Russian airstrike on Thursday claimed the lives of at least 50 mourners who had gathered for a wake at a shop and cafe in an eastern Ukrainian village. The strike occurred in Groza, located in the Kharkiv region, which has a population of 330. Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko revealed that the victims had gathered to pay their respects to a deceased villager.
Among the casualties, there was a six-year-old child, and the event was attended by approximately 60 people, taking place more than 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the front line. Preliminary evidence suggests that an Iskander missile was used in the attack.
Footage released by Ukrainian authorities depicted a scene of destruction, with emergency workers removing bodies from the debris. Klymenko emphasized that the search and rescue operation was ongoing, as there may still be people trapped beneath the rubble.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was attending a European summit in Spain, condemned the attack on social media, describing it as a “completely deliberate terrorist attack” and a “brutal Russian crime.”
The strike occurred in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region, which has experienced ongoing conflict, as Russian forces seek to regain territory lost to Ukrainian troops last year. The attack took place around 1:15 pm local time.
Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv region, commented on the strike and the recent mandatory evacuations ordered due to increased Russian strikes in the area.
Ukraine’s advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, stressed that the attack had no military justification and criticized international leaders who engaged with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He called Putin’s Russia “a true evil.”
Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, highlighted the need for increased air defense to protect the country from such acts of terror.
The Kharkiv region has been a focal point of the conflict, with Russian forces capturing significant portions early in their invasion last year. While Ukrainian forces reclaimed much of the border territory during a counteroffensive, the regional capital, Kharkiv, continues to experience regular shelling.