Zelensky said the attack was “one of the most brazen terrorist acts in European history.”
“A peaceful town, an ordinary shopping center — women, children, ordinary civilians inside,” Zelensky shared a video of the mall engulfed in flames with dozens of rescuers and a fire truck outside. And the video was played at the G7.
The Moscow Times reported that Russia is not responsible for the deadly missile strike, calling accusations that it targeted civilians “fake” and a “provocation.”
Russia often denies it targets Ukrainian civilians. And hospitals, schools, and residential buildings have often been attacked and destroyed during the four-month-long Russian attack.
In early June Russia claimed it hit the site of US weapons sent to Ukraine. And the Ukrainians claimed that a train repair depot had been hit.
The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that it carried out a targeted strike on a stockpile of Western weapons. And it was not aimed at the shopping mall. They added the resulting explosion started a fire at “a non-operating shopping center” next door.
