On Monday, Oksana Guida went to a mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk to buy a computer. Minutes later, the same mall was engulfed in flames after being hit by a Russian missile strike. Guida, a local political activist, had returned to her car with her family when the store did not have what she needed. Twelve minutes later, a Russian rocket hit the mall, with 1,000 people inside. So far 18 deaths have been confirmed, with dozens injured and many more missing. Guida was about 160 meters from the explosion and suffered a head injury and hearing loss. Through a translator, she told The Current that the mall was full of young families, and was staffed mostly by young women. He said he saw smoke immediately after the attack and then fire. People were running from the building, but others were running back in to help. He later learned that nine people at the computer store he had just visited had been burned to death. LISTEN The city “shocked” after the destruction of a shopping center The Current2: 19 People went to the store and did not return Kremenchuk has a population of about 220,000. Guida said many people know someone who was trapped or killed in the mall and the city is in shock. The attack unfolded as G7 leaders met in Germany and issued a joint statement pledging new sanctions on Russia and continuing to support Ukraine “as long as necessary”. Inna Sovsun, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, said it was a “nice statement” but wanted to see efforts to stop the four-month war from turning into a long-running conflict. “To make it short, we need arm supplies not at some point in the future, we need them today,” he said. CLOCKS Russian attack hits the shopping center of Ukraine
Russian missiles hit the shopping center of Ukraine
Russian missile strikes hit another civilian target in Ukraine, a shopping mall far from the front lines. Ukrainian officials say the attack was intended to terrorize its population and put pressure on its allies. He welcomed US President Joe Biden’s commitment to send missile systems earlier this month, but said Ukraine had been asking for air defense assistance from the start. “Oxana’s friends who have been burned alive in this building could have survived if our voices had been heard a little earlier,” he said.
Russia is targeting civilians, he said
Russia claimed that its missile targeted a nearby ammunition depot, setting it on fire that spread to the mall. These allegations have been denied by Ukrainian officials. Sovsun said Russia was “specifically targeting civilians”, citing other attacks, including the April attack on a train station in Kramatorsk that killed at least 52 people. “They knew very well what they did and they should be punished for what they did in Kremenchuk and other cities, all over Ukraine,” he said. Volunteers continue their search and rescue efforts early Tuesday. (Efrem Lukatsky / The Associated Press) He wants the G7 leaders to respond to the Russian invasion “not by expressing their concern, not by saying they are extremely outraged by what has happened, but by actually increasing arms supplies to Ukraine.” Sovsun said it recently brought its young son back to Kyiv from western Ukraine to be closer to him. He felt it was safe to do so, but he quickly realized the impact the war had on him. “I had to put him to bed last night and he said, ‘Mom, war is closer here, am I safe here?’ he said. “This is something I will never forgive Putin and the Russians for, because my son is experiencing this fear. But I know we have to hold on and keep fighting,” he said. Written by Padraig Moran, with archives from the Associated Press. Produced by Joana Draghici.
