G7 for the Russian attack on the Ukrainian mall: War crime

At least 18 people have died from a Russian missile attack at a shopping mall in the Ukrainian town of Kremenchuk.

About 1,000 civilians are estimated to be within the centre at the time of the attack around 15:50, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The leaders of the group G7 of the richest states who are holding a meeting in Germany condemned the attack as the disgusting “ ”.

“Sulmet indiscriminately against innocent civilians constitutes a war crime”, they said in a joint statement.

Russia has been blamed for the attack, which also left at least 59 people injured and fears the death toll will continue to rise.

The images that were published on social networks show the building covered with heavy flames and dense black smoke, the BBC writes. Report Express.

Ukraine's president Zelensky described the attack as one of the most shameless terrorist “s in European history”.

He said the mall had no strategic value for Russia and posed no danger to its forces -- “ -- the sole effort of people to live a normal life, which angers invaders”.

The “Only completely insane terrorists, who should have no place on earth, can rocket a target like this”, he added.

Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, called the attack “Ukrainian provocation”, but did not mention any evidence suggesting the missile attack was organised.

The local governor, Dmytro Lunin, described the attack as a crime against humanity, writing in Telegram that it was “an act of visible and cynical terror against the civilian population”.

Authorities say 440 people from emergency services are working at the site, including 14 psychologists brought to support the affected.