Russia strikes mall in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region with Kh-38 missile: Consequences
Photo: Russia hits the Ecomarket in Kostiantynivka with a Kh-38 missile (t.me/mvs_ukraine)
Russian forces launched an airstrike with a Kh-38 missile on the center of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, hitting an Ecomarket that also housed a Nova Poshta (express delivery company - ed.) office. In addition to the destroyed supermarket, nearby kiosks and cars were burned. Dozens of people were injured, and fatalities were reported.
RBC-Ukraine in the material below details the aftermath of the strike on Kostiantynivka.
Contents
- How it happened and the weapon used
- Number of fatalities and injured, consequences
- Reaction from Zelenskyy
- Situation in Kostiantynivka
How it happened and the weapon used
Around 11:00 AM, a direct hit struck the Ecomarket store, a place usually crowded with people. A large fire broke out at the scene.
Initially, the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, reported that Russia had attacked the city using artillery. He described it as a deliberate Russian strike. However, he later clarified that Putin's forces had carried out an airstrike with a Kh-38 missile.
According to Pavlo Dyachenko, the head of the Donetsk region police department, the strike on the shopping center was so powerful that the building caught fire immediately. As the debris is being cleared, owners are not being allowed access to the site.
Photo: The aftermath of a direct hit on the Ecomarket store, which also housed a Nova Poshta branch (t.me/VadymFilashkin/3684)
The strike also hit a Nova Poshta cargo branch located in the shopping center. One employee was injured, suffering a concussion.
"Preliminarily, some of the parcels have survived. The estimated value of the destroyed cargo will be fully compensated to the customers," the company reported.
Photo: The aftermath of the strike on Nova Poshta in Kostiantynivka (facebook.com/nova.poshta.official)
Number of fatalities and injured, consequences
At least 11 people have been reported dead and 44 injured, with many suffering from concussions. There may still be people trapped under the rubble. Local authorities have reported that there are no children among the injured and deceased. However, the local news agency Donbas Realii reports that the body of a child was recovered from the debris.
The fire, which covered an area of 1,000 square meters, has been extinguished. However, the rescue operation had to be paused due to the threat of further shelling.
According to Filashkin, in addition to the Ecomarket, where around 50 people were present at the time of the strike, several nearby commercial kiosks were completely burned. Residential buildings and more than a dozen vehicles were also damaged.
Photo: shopping center, post office, shops, car wash, cars damaged in Kostyantynivka (t.me/mvs_ukraine)
Reaction from Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the shelling by publishing a video of the aftermath.
"Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region. A strike by Russian terrorists on an ordinary supermarket and post office. People are trapped under the rubble. The rescue operation is ongoing, and everything will be done to save lives... Russia will answer for this terror, and we will do everything to ensure that the world continues to stand with Ukraine, supporting our defense and saving of our people’s lives," wrote the head of state.
The head of the President's Office, Andrii Yermak, also reacted to the attack.
"The strike on the supermarket in Kostiantynivka is another act of terror by the Russians. War against civilians is all they know how to do. Russia must face full retribution for everything it is doing," he said.
It is known that a criminal case has already been initiated regarding the shelling. The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office has launched a preliminary investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Photo: A rescue operation is underway at the site of the strike in Kostiantynivka (t.me/mvs_ukraine)
Photo: A rescue operation is underway at the site of the strike in Kostiantynivka (t.me/mvs_ukraine)
Photo: A rescue operation is underway at the site of the strike in Kostiantynivka (t.me/mvs_ukraine)
Situation in Kostiantynivka
Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region is frequently shelled due to its proximity to the front line, making it vulnerable to all types of attacks, including tank shells. The city currently has around 30,000 residents out of a pre-war population of 70,000. It remains a potential target for Russian forces, partly due to its railway hub.
Sources: data from the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, the State Emergency Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Prosecutor General, statements from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and information from the media.
