Russian attack on Odesa: two Epicenter shopping centers damaged
On August 24, Odesa was again targeted by Russian troops, which led to the destruction of civilian infrastructure. As a result of the Russian strike, two shopping centers of the Epicenter chain located in the city suffered serious damage.
The information about the hit was confirmed by the press service of the Epicenter company. According to the network representatives, the facilities suffered significant damage as a result of the aggressive actions of the Russians. The relevant services are working at the scene to assess the scale of the destruction and eliminate the consequences of the attack.
One of the shopping facilities was completely engulfed in fire – the SES units extinguished the fire on an area of 35 thousand square meters. Due to the high flammability of materials and decoration, the flame spread in a matter of minutes. The extinguishing was significantly complicated by constant air raid sirens, which forced firefighters to suspend work and retreat to safe places. A small fire broke out at another address. Four people were injured as a result of the attack. 215 rescuers and 45 pieces of equipment from the State Emergency Service were involved in the elimination of the consequences of the emergency.
The attack on Odesa was yet another example of the fact that Russian troops continue to purposefully destroy commercial and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Shopping malls are places of mass gathering, so such actions by the Russians pose a direct threat to the lives of civilians.
The Odesa region regularly suffers from missile and drone attacks from the Russian Federation. Local authorities and rescuers urge citizens not to ignore air raid sirens and to take shelter in times of danger. The situation in the city remains tense, and relevant agencies continue to record war crimes by the occupiers in order to further bring the perpetrators to justice.
At present, representatives of the Epicenter company do not provide detailed information about the casualties among staff or visitors, but emphasize that people’s safety remains the main priority.
The Russian shelling of Odesa once again proves that there are no moral or legal restrictions for the Russians. Damage to large retail chains is not only economic losses, but also an attempt to intimidate Ukrainian society. However, despite all the efforts of the Russian Federation, Ukraine continues to defend itself, and business is making efforts to restore and support the state’s economy.