On the morning of 25 October, Russian troops attacked the «Epicentre» shopping centre in Poltava. A drone strike caused a fire in the building, and a 52-year-old woman was injured. This was reported by Vitaliy Dyakivnych, head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration. Rescue workers are on the scene and efforts to deal with the aftermath of the strike are ongoing. According to «Epicentre», in less than a day, its retail outlets in four Ukrainian cities were targeted by Russian attacks.
- A Russian drone struck the «Epicentre» shopping centre in Poltava.
- The attack caused a fire and damaged the shopping centre building.
- According to preliminary reports, a 52-year-old woman has been injured.
- Rescue workers are continuing to deal with the aftermath of the strike.
The attack on «Epicentre» in Poltava on 25 October: what we know
A Russian drone struck a shopping centre in Poltava during the morning air-raid alert on 25 October. A fire broke out inside the building following the strike.
According to the State Emergency Service, an air-raid alert was declared in the Poltava district at approximately 09:55. At around 10:01, the publication’s correspondent heard an explosion in the city. The all-clear was sounded at 10:10.
Subsequently, the head of the Poltava Regional State Administration Vitaliy Dyakivnych He clarified that a shopping centre belonging to the «Epicentre» chain had been hit.
According to preliminary reports, a 52-year-old woman was injured in the attack. No details have yet been released regarding the nature of her injuries or her condition.
Photographs released by the State Emergency Service show significant damage to the roof of the commercial building, deformed metal structures and the aftermath of the fire inside the premises. Rescue workers are at the scene.
The exact extent of the damage, the area affected by the fire and the final number of casualties are currently being determined.
Russia attacked «Epicentre» stores in four Ukrainian cities
Epicentre has reported that, in less than 24 hours, Russian strikes have damaged retail outlets in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia and Poltava. This was announced on 25 October by the head of the company’s public relations department Yulia Chudnovets.
On the evening of 24 October, Russian troops attacked a shopping centre belonging to the chain in the Osnovyanskyi district of Kharkiv. A major fire broke out at the premises. According to the mayor, Igor Terekhov, shoppers and staff were taking shelter and were unharmed.
Rescue workers were injured whilst clearing up the aftermath of the strikes in Kharkiv.
On the morning of 25 October, it was also reported that fire at a retail outlet in Zaporizhzhia. In Vinnytsia, the company confirmed that its shopping centre had been damaged as a result of a Russian attack.
What is known about the consequences of the attack in Poltava
Units from the State Emergency Service and other emergency services are continuing to work at the site of the strike. Efforts are primarily focused on extinguishing the fire and dealing with the aftermath of the destruction of the shopping centre.
At the time the latest statement from the Poltava Regional State Administration was published, there was no information available regarding whether the fire had been completely extinguished or the final extent of the damage.
The regional authorities are continuing to clarify the details of the consequences of the Russian attack.
