Russian drone strike destroys major shopping center in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia
Russian strike destroyed the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: facebook.com/DSNS.GOV.UA)
On the evening of Thursday, September 17, Russia struck the Amstor shopping center in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. Emergency rescue operations at the site have already been completed.
More details about the Russian strike, the rescue operation, and the consequences of the attack are provided below.
Who reported the Russian strike and when
At 10:47 p.m. on Thursday, September 17, Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Defense Council, reported that "the enemy struck one of the shopping centers in Zaporizhzhia."
Shortly afterward, he posted a photo from the scene on Telegram.
The image shows a large fire and the name of the Amstor shopping center.
Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia after the Russian attack (photo: t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp)
At 11:03 p.m., Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration (the regional authority responsible for civilian administration and defense coordination under martial law), confirmed that "the enemy struck a shopping center."
"The terrorists' targets in Zaporizhzhia today are civilian businesses, bus stops and buses themselves, as well as shopping centers," the official wrote on Telegram.
He clarified that the enemy struck a supermarket on the right bank of the city in the evening, after which "a massive fire broke out."
"Russian terrorist forces are destroying stocks of buckwheat and salt. Still, there is no need to panic or buy food in industrial quantities. We are prepared for anything. Pay attention to air raid alerts," the head of the Regional Military Administration stressed.
Russian strike sparks massive fire at Zaporizhzhia shopping center (photo: https://t.me/zoda_gov_ua/67697)
Consequences of the Russian attack on the Amstor shopping center
Fedorov later shared several videos showing a large fire raging at the site.
"These are the consequences of the enemy attack on Zaporizhzhia," he said.
A little later, the official released additional "footage showing the aftermath of the enemy attack on a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia."
"The video shows what remains of the retail outlets," Fedorov clarified.
Russian strike leaves Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia in ruins pic.twitter.com/bcoOuacvQC
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) September 18, 2026
The co-chair of the Regional Defense Council also published additional photos from the scene.
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
Aftermath of the Russian strike on the Amstor shopping center in Zaporizhzhia (photo: https://t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp/48505)
"Fortunately, according to preliminary information, there were no casualties," he said at the time.
What emergency services said about the fire
At 7:27 a.m. on Friday, September 18, the press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle attack on Zaporizhzhia had:
-
Destroyed a shopping complex.
-
Injured one person.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine clarified that the Russian attack caused a fire at the site.
Emergency rescue operations have already been completed.
"Rescuers extinguished the fire, which covered a total area of more than 10,000 square meters," the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported.
It added that "the operation was complicated by the constant threat of further enemy strikes," which forced firefighters to take shelter.
"All of the city's emergency services were working at the scene," the State Emergency Service of Ukraine stressed, also publishing photos and videos from the site.
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia region
What remains of the Amstor shopping center after the fire
At 9:12 a.m. on Friday, September 18, acting head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Mykhailo Semikin released new footage from the scene.
New footage shows scale of destruction at Zaporizhzhia’s Amstor shopping center pic.twitter.com/AfXxw8tCmG
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) September 18, 2026
"This is what the enemy leaves behind — nothing but ruins," he stressed.
The footage confirms the official's description: "A shopping center in a residential district of the city has been reduced to a burned-out shell."
Earlier, the enemy attacked a passenger bus with a first-person-view drone in Zaporizhzhia's Kosmichnyi district.
Russia also carried out another strike on Zaporizhstal (a major steelworks in Zaporizhzhia), damaging the plant's production facilities and infrastructure.
