At least 17 people are dead and 32 are wounded following a Russian ballistic missile attack on an outdoor market in Ukraine on Wednesday.
The "horrific act of terrorism" as described by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, occurred in Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk Oblast and was captured on video, seen above. The attack came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv to announce over $1 billion in new funding.
One day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin likened the longevity of the 18-month-old conflict to the attrition endured during World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Putin has also drawn the attention of the U.S. intelligence community due to his purported plan to meet with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, for a potential arms deal that could include military weaponry in exchange for nuclear capabilities.
"My heartfelt condolences to the families and close ones affected," Shmyhal wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I express my gratitude to the courageous efforts of the rescue teams, police personnel, and medical stuff [sic] working at the site. Russian military forces are terrorists, and they shall find neither absolution nor tranquility. A reckoning for their deeds shall be justly met."
The Associated Press reported that firefighters at the scene extinguished blazes that damaged about 30 market pavilions and are continuing to search for victims underneath the rubble. At least 20 shops, power lines, an administrative building and the floor of an apartment building were also damaged.
Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian and Russian Defense Ministries via email for comment.
Blinken told Shmyhal he continues to be "struck by the extraordinary resilience of the Ukrainian people, the strength of your military, and the very strong leadership that Ukraine has benefited from in this most difficult period," according to a U.S. State Department readout.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X that innocent people were brutally attacked by "Russian terrorists."
"Anyone in the world who is still dealing with anything Russian simply ignores this reality," Zelensky wrote. "Heinous evil. Brazen wickedness. Utter inhumanity. My condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one. The Russian evil must be defeated as soon as possible."
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhail Podolyak posted on X that the attack is a renewed message that negotiating with Russia will not deter the country's behavior or military aggression.
"I still don't understand two things," Podolyak wrote. "The first: if the killers are not punished for Kostiantynivka, they will definitely become law-abiding after negotiations, won't they? It's true, isn't it? And second: why can't we expedite military support for #Ukraine to stop mourning intentionally killed civilians in Ukraine?"
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek reporter based in Michigan. His focus is reporting on Ukraine and Russia, along with social ... Read more
