Ukrainian Authorities Report 51 Deaths in Village Cafe Strike by Russia, as Zelenskyy Pleads for Increased Western Aid

In an event described as one of the most fatal incidents in recent months of the ongoing conflict, a Russian missile attack leveled a cafe and adjacent shop in eastern Ukraine, resulting in a minimum of 51 civilian casualties. This was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-ranking Kyiv officials.

Emergency workers scoured the wreckage of the sole cafe in the village of Hroza, encountering human remains dispersed throughout an adjacent playground that also sustained significant damage from the missile strike. Confiscated cellphones awaited owners in a nearby open space, occasionally receiving calls that illuminated their broken screens.

According to Ukrainian authorities, approximately 60 individuals, including children, were congregating at the cafe for a memorial service when the projectile made impact. The cafe was reportedly struck by an Iskander missile, as per initial information from Kyiv.

While at a European summit in Spain designed to garner additional support for Ukraine, Zelenskyy vehemently condemned the assault as an “overtly heinous act of Russian aggression” and an “intentional act of terrorism.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the assault as “appalling” and asserted that such acts substantiate the United States’ ongoing efforts to assist the Ukrainian people in their struggle for freedom and democratic governance.

The village of Hroza, once home to around 500 inhabitants, is situated in the northeastern region of Kharkiv. Initially seized by Russian forces earlier in the conflict, the village was reclaimed by Ukraine in September 2022. President Zelenskyy had personally visited the area earlier this week to meet with military personnel and inspect Western-supplied equipment.

Dmytro Nechvolot spoke to The Big Big News about his quest to locate his 60-year-old father, who had been at the cafe attending the memorial service for a local soldier who died last year and was recently identified via DNA. Nechvolot frequently approached his father’s red car, still parked in the vicinity, as he awaited the grim confirmation of his father’s fate.

In a statement on his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy emphasized the imperative to fortify Ukraine’s air defenses and articulated the broader need for protection against acts of terror. He also expressed confidence in continued American support, despite political turbulence in the United States, based on his recent visit to Washington.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to Zelenskyy’s appeal, confirming that Germany would provide another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. Scholz anticipates that Russia will likely escalate its targeting of vital Ukrainian infrastructure in the coming winter.

Zelenskyy also highlighted that discussions during the Granada summit would include collective efforts toward global food security and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Black Sea—a region where Russia has targeted Ukrainian ports.

Reports from the U.K. Foreign Office indicate that Russia might deploy sea mines near Ukrainian ports as part of a strategy to target civilian shipping while deflecting blame onto Ukraine.

In a recent counteraction, Ukraine’s air force intercepted 24 out of 29 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia at southern Ukrainian regions. Andriy Raykovych, head of the Kirovohrad regional administration, confirmed that an infrastructure facility in the region was struck, but there were no casualties.

In the last 24 hours, additional civilian casualties in Ukraine included two individuals killed in the city of Kherson and one in the city of Krasnohorivka in the eastern Donetsk region, as reported by Ukraine’s presidential office. A hospital in the city of Beryslav also suffered structural damage and injuries to medical staff following a Russian strike.

Contributions by Big Big News reporters Dasha Litvinova and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, Emma Burrows in London, and Seung Min Kim in Washington are acknowledged.

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More about Russian missile strike

• Ukraine Conflict Overview
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Official Statements
• European Summit on Ukraine
• Iskander Missile System
• German Patriot Air Defense System
• White House Statements on Ukraine
• Drone Attacks in Ukraine’s Southern Regions
• Ukrainian Military Capabilities
• Kharkiv Region in Ukraine Conflict
• Russia’s Military Strategy in Ukraine