VIDEO: 16 Killed In Russian Missile Strike In Eastern Ukraine

The attack on Wednesday happened to coincide with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, where he was scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy.

A view of the damaged area after the Russian missile attack in Chernihiv, Ukraine. (File Photo/Representational Image)

Source : Getty Images

At least 16 people were killed in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka on Wednesday (September 6), according to presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak. He provided no further details about the attack on the industrial city near the front lines, news agency Reuters reported citing local media, which described it as a "Russian missile attack". 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to social media platform X to share a video claiming to be from today's incident, saying those killed were "people who did nothing wrong" and warning that the death toll could rise. Kostyantynivka is a town in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region near the front lines.

At least 16 people have been killed by Russian shelling in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region. Russian terrorists have attacked a regular market, shops, and a pharmacy, killing innocent people. The number of casualties could rise further.

Anyone in the world who is still dealing… pic.twitter.com/PRfuGih2JD

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 6, 2023

"This Russian evil must be defeated as soon as possible," added Zelenskyy. The authorities in Moscow have yet to respond to the allegations, he said in the tweet. 

A child is among the 16 killed, with at least 20 others injured, according to information shared by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, according to a BBC report. "All services are operational," he said, adding, "the fire is under control."

According to the report, a market, shops, and a pharmacy were all targeted. Social media videos appear to show the moment of the explosion and its graphic aftermath.

As per media reports, Russia has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. They have previously stated that they do not target citizens.

The attack on Wednesday happened to coincide with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, where he was scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy.

During his visit, it was expected that he would announce a new US aid package for the war-torn country.

Kostyantynivka, a small market town near the battlefield, is located nearby.