A double‑tap drone attack on a busy shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih killed 16 people and injured more than 130, prompting EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to call it “terror by design” and to press for the toughest Russia sanctions since the war began.
The first drone struck the mall’s roof on Friday, and a second hit the burning structure half an hour later, apparently targeting emergency crews. Ukrainian regional head Oleksandr Hanzha confirmed 16 fatalities, 130 injuries – including 14 children – and four people still missing. Rescue teams from seven regions were deployed to clear roughly 9,000 sq m of fire‑ravaged debris.
The strike comes as the EU prepares a “coalition of the willing” summit in Kyiv, where leaders are expected to endorse a new wave of sanctions targeting Russian finance and logistics. Kallas said the meeting will present the most far‑reaching sanctions list since the conflict began, aiming to increase pressure on Moscow and deter further attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Initial Ukrainian emergency reports listed 15 dead, later revised to 16, while injury figures vary between 130 total and 52 still hospitalised, reflecting the chaotic aftermath, differing official tallies and the difficulty of verifying casualties amid ongoing rescue operations.