Russian strike on Lozova market kills 2, injures 34

Russian forces struck the Central Market in Lozova, in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, on Thursday, killing 2 women and wounding 34 people, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The attack happened around midday, when the market was busy, Lozova mayor Serhii Zelenskyi said.

Syniehubov said the dead were women aged 50 and 60. The number of wounded rose through the day, from an initial 11 to 17 and then to 34, as rescue workers and medics reached the scene and the full scale of the attack became clear. Some of the injured are in a serious condition, with doctors fighting to save their lives, Zelenskyi said.

The strike set fire to a shop building and damaged market stalls, apartment blocks, private houses, a shopping centre, a place of worship and vehicles, Ukraine's state emergency service said. Firefighters, police and medics worked at the site through the afternoon, while the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.

Zelenskyi said Russian forces used Shahed drones and Banderol munitions in the attack, which struck the market during the lunchtime rush. He warned that the threat of further strikes remained and urged residents to head for shelter whenever air-raid sirens sound.

Overnight, a separate Russian strike killed a 42-year-old woman and wounded 4 people, including 2 children, in the village of Lymanivka, in the same Lozova district, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing local officials.