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A daytime Russian rocket attack on a busy market has resulted in the death of at least 16 individuals in Kostyantynivka, a city in eastern Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The strikes occurred in the Donetsk region on Wednesday while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was making a surprise visit to Kyiv to discuss the counteroffensive against Russian forces with senior Ukrainian officials.
Zelenskyy stated in social media posts, “Russian terrorists have attacked a regular market, shops, and a pharmacy, killing innocent people. The number of casualties could rise further. Anyone in the world who is still dealing with anything Russian simply ignores this reality.”
The prosecutor-general’s office in Ukraine reported that an additional 31 people were injured and that some individuals are still trapped under the debris. It also mentioned that the attack caused damage to 20 shops, power lines, an administrative building, and the fifth floor of a residential building. A subsequent fire destroyed several vehicles and eight commercial facilities.
Zelenskyy shared a video captured by a security camera showing people walking around the busy market before the attack. The explosion from the rocket is seen tearing apart market stalls and scattering shrapnel and debris.
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Kostyantynivka is situated 30km west of Bakhmut, a city occupied by Russia that has been heavily damaged due to a year of intense fighting. Its location near the frontlines and as a rail and road junction makes it a crucial logistical hub for Ukrainian forces, medical personnel, and volunteers.
Zelenskyy has visited the city multiple times this year to meet with troops.
According to Ukrainian officials, overnight missile and drone strikes by Russia killed at least one person in the port city of Izmail in the southern Odesa region. Ukraine’s air force intercepted 23 out of 33 missiles and drones, which also targeted Kyiv.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Blinken stated that his visit aimed to “reinforce the unwavering US commitment to Ukraine.” He discussed the counteroffensive and reconstruction efforts with Zelenskyy and is expected to unveil a fresh $1 billion assistance package.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba shared a photograph on social media of him and Blinken visiting the Berkovetske cemetery in Kyiv, where they paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of the country.
Blinken’s two-day visit comes at a time when Kyiv’s allies are pushing back against concerns that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is progressing slower than expected and that western support is diminishing as the fighting continues.
One western official stated, “To obsess about how many hundreds of meters Ukraine has achieved today… is ridiculous when we don’t know the timeline for this war.”
The official added that Ukrainian forces are making “incremental”, “methodical”, and slower-than-expected progress. However, 270,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded, and Russia’s army is now half the size it was two years ago.
In addition, the slow pace of Ukraine’s summer campaign has resulted in more preserved western-supplied equipment than planned. The “main task now” is to offer Ukraine more “equipment support” such as repairs, logistics, and ammunition.
“We aren’t about to walk away,” another western official affirmed.
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