Rosalind Evans
In one of the most devastating assaults since the onset of the conflict, a Russian missile strike has taken the lives of at least 51 individuals in the village of Hroza, situated near the eastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk. The Kharkiv region, which has been at the forefront of the ongoing conflict, bore witness to this catastrophe that wiped out approximately one-fifth of Hroza’s population, totalling around 330 residents.
The missile targeted a cafe and shop shortly after midday. Emergency response was immediate, with scenes emerging of rescue workers sifting through the dense rubble left in the wake of the attack. Among the deceased was a young child of just six years, painting a grim picture of the indiscriminate nature of the assault. At the time of this report, 29 victims have been identified, with the remaining bodies being sent to facilities in the city of Kharkiv for identification and further examination.
The missile utilized in this attack has been identified as the Iskander, a ballistic missile notorious for its substantial civilian casualties. It is not the first time the missile has been deployed against Ukraine, further emphasizing the dangerous trajectory of this conflict.
The village of Hroza is strategically located about 40 kilometres from the war’s frontlines near Kupiansk. This city, once under Russian control, was reclaimed by Ukraine approximately a year ago. Since then, the Ukrainian military has been working tirelessly to resist advances from Moscow, particularly given Kupiansk’s significance in preventing Russian forces from accessing the nearby Oskil River.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, underscored the pressing need for bolstered defence systems. This call to action comes at a challenging time when there is ongoing political turmoil in the United States Congress and a concerning reduction in ammunition stocks among NATO nations. Both factors pose a significant threat to the continuous flow of military aid that Kyiv heavily relies upon.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned the attack, highlighting its nature as a deliberate terror against ordinary civilians. Simultaneously, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal described the devastation as “brutal and cynical.” Both leaders agree on the critical need for international unity against Russian aggression.
Denise Brown, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, expressed horror at the images arriving from the attack scene. She emphasized that intentionally directing such an assault against civilians or civilian structures can be classified as a war crime.
