A Russian drone strike on a busy market in southern Ukraine has left at least five civilians dead and more than 20 injured, in one of the latest attacks to hit populated areas during daylight hours.
The strike occurred in the town of Nikopol, located across the Dnipro River from Russian-occupied territory, with authorities confirming that a 14-year-old girl was among the injured.
Images from the scene show widespread destruction—market stalls torn apart, debris scattered across the area, and evidence of a direct hit on a civilian gathering point.
Ukrainian prosecutors say the attack happened mid-morning, at a time when the market would have been crowded, amplifying its impact. A second strike reportedly hit the same location, injuring two additional men.
Officials have described the incident as a potential war crime, pointing to the deliberate targeting of a civilian area.
Nikopol has faced repeated shelling since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, forcing nearly half of its population to flee. But the timing of this attack—during peak activity—has raised fresh alarm.
The strike comes amid a wider escalation. Ukrainian authorities say Russia launched nearly 300 drones overnight across multiple regions, with additional casualties reported in Kharkiv and Sumy.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has also intensified its own counterstrikes. Russian officials reported that a drone and missile attack on the southern city of Taganrog killed at least one person and injured four, with a fire breaking out at a logistics facility.
Kyiv maintains that some of the damage inside Russia may have been caused by its own air defence systems, while also confirming strikes on key industrial targets linked to Russia’s military production.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, including a proposed Easter truce by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the conflict shows little sign of slowing.
In fact, the nature of the attacks appears to be shifting—daytime strikes on civilian areas are becoming more frequent, raising concerns about the humanitarian toll.
While military analysts note that Ukraine may be holding ground more effectively on the eastern front, the continued exchange of drone and missile strikes underscores a grim reality: the war is not just ongoing—it is evolving.
