Russian Strike Hits Epicentr Shopping Center in Zaporizhzhia, Injuring at Least Four

Russian forces struck an Epicentr shopping center in Zaporizhzhia on Friday, Aug. 28, damaging the building and injuring at least four people, according to Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov. “Once again, the enemy struck the territory of a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia,” Fedorov said on Telegram, adding that the building was damaged in the attack.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Explosions were reported in Zaporizhzhia at around 7:30 a.m. local time as authorities warned of a threat from Russian attack drones. Just a day earlier, on Thursday, Aug. 27, Russian forces struck an Epicentr shopping center in Kharkiv’s Osnovianskyi district with a jet-powered drone, killing one man and injuring five others. The strike partially damaged the building and sparked a fire covering more than 300 square meters, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. The man killed in the attack was 40 years old, though authorities said his identity was still being verified. A 25-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man were injured. Three others – two women aged 26 and 58 and a 38-year-old man – suffered acute stress reactions, Kharkiv Regional Military Administration head Oleh Syniehubov said. All received medical assistance. Repeated attacks on Epicentr The latest strike is part of a series of Russian attacks on Epicentr stores, warehouses and production facilities across Ukraine. On Aug. 12, Russian forces struck an Epicentr facility in Zaporizhzhia overnight, causing extensive damage and a fire. No injuries were reported, according to regional authorities. Other Topics of Interest ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’: Zelensky Joins Moldova’s Independence Day Amid Russian Drone Incursions Zelensky joined Maia Sandu and Nicușor Dan in Chișinău as Russian drone incursions underscored growing security threats across the region. Earlier that month, on Aug. 5, Russian missile and drone barrage severely damaged two Epicentr logistic complexes in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, while also striking the company’s Ceramic Corporation plant. One employee was killed in the attack, and three others were injured. The hardware retail chain said a logistics center on Viskozna Street in Kyiv was completely destroyed by fire, while a separate logistics and production complex in Kalynivka, Kyiv Oblast, was hit directly. Direct missile strikes destroyed the two large warehouse complexes, while another missile hit the Epicentr Ceramic Corporation plant, one of Ukraine’s largest tile manufacturers, halting production. On July 26, a Russian missile destroyed an Epicentr store spanning more than 11,000 square meters in Kamianske, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the retailer, no employees were injured. Ukrainian military radio technology expert Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a former presidential adviser, has urged Ukrainians to immediately leave Epicentr stores and other large shopping centers whenever an air raid alert is declared. Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian attacks have destroyed seven Epicentr shopping centers in Mariupol, Chernihiv, Bucha, Nikopol, Kharkiv, and in two locations in Kherson. In May 2024, two guided aerial bombs (KABs) hit an Epicentr shopping center in Kharkiv, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens. On Aug. 21, Russian forces struck a separate shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, killing at least 15 and injuring over 130 using jet-powered drones. At least 23 victims were children. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.