Zaporizhzhia, July 3: A drone strike on a crowded market in Russia-controlled Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region, killed at least five people and injured 18 others, according to Russian-installed officials.
Authorities claimed the attack was carried out by Ukraine and described it as a deliberate strike on civilians. Victims included shoppers and vendors, with several sustaining severe traumatic brain injuries. Independent verification of the incident remains difficult due to the ongoing war.
Russian investigators have opened a criminal probe, treating the strike as terrorism. Moscow accused Kyiv of targeting civilians in frustration over battlefield setbacks, while Ukraine has not yet issued an official response.
Tokmak, under Russian occupation since March 2022, has witnessed repeated clashes and strikes as both sides intensify drone and missile attacks. The incident underscores the growing humanitarian toll, with markets and residential areas increasingly vulnerable to aerial assaults.
Russia has called on international bodies to condemn the attack, while Ukraine continues to press allies for stronger air defense support against Russian strikes on its cities.
