Russian drones hit Ukraine mall, killing 16 and wounding 13 including children

At least 16 people have been killed and more than 130 wounded ‌when Russian drones struck an Ukraine shopping centre, an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as an "act of barbarism".

Regional ‌governor Oleksandr Hanzha said that 22 children were among the wounded in the daytime attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih, which is Zelenskyy's hometown.

"There are 29 people in serious condition, including five children," Hanzha said. He posted a photo of ‌black smoke billowing ‌from a ⁠large industrial building.

In an update early on Saturday, Hanzha said nine people were preliminarily considered missing, including two children, and that rescuers were continuing to clear the rubble of the shopping centre.

Zelenskyy called the attack "absolutely cynical and despicable", saying that a second Russian drone hit the shopping centre half an hour after the first ⁠in what he said was a deliberate ‌attempt to target emergency services.

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Russia is escalating its air ‌war on Ukraine as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-1/2-year mark. On Thursday, 17 people were killed in a Russian ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Ukraine has also stepped up its own attacks on Russia, targeting oil facilities and logistics infrastructure to try to undermine Moscow's ability to wage war.