Russia strikes Ukrainian city on anniversary of deadly attack

Russia hit a cluster of buildings in a missile strike on Kremenchuk in central Ukraine on Tuesday, the first anniversary of a deadly attack on a shopping mall in the city, Ukrainian officials said.

Dmytro Lunin, governor of the Poltava region that includes Kremenchuk, said what he described as a dacha - or cottage - cooperative had been struck, but reported no casualties.

Ukrainian officials said at the time that at least 18 people were killed at the Amstor shopping mall during a Russian missile strike on Kremenchuk on June 27, 2022. Later reports put the toll at at least 20.

"The enemy attacked Poltava region. Just like a year ago on this day, with X-22 missiles," Lunin wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia did not immediately comment on the attack. It has regularly carried out air strikes since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat had said earlier on Tuesday that explosions were heard in the city after a Russian air strike.

Kremenchuk is the site of a Ukrainian oil refinery that has been attacked repeatedly by Russia since it invaded Ukraine last year. Ukrainian officials have said it is no longer functioning.

Ukrainian comments on the attack

Mykhailo Podolyak, a presidential adviser, described Tuesday's attack as an attempt to distract the Russian public's attention after an aborted mutiny by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin against the Russian military.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential staff, also condemned the latest missile strike as an attack by "ordinary, insane non-humans and criminals who will definitely be held accountable for everything."