Night attack on Zaporizhzhia: two shopping centers damaged
26 February 16:02
During the night, Russian troops launched at least 12 strikes on Zaporizhzhia. Among the damaged facilities were two large shopping centers. This was reported by the website Akzent.zp.ua , as relayed by Komersant.
According to preliminary data, the Ukraine and Epicenter shopping centers were damaged.
Strike on commercial infrastructure
According to local journalists, the blast wave at the Ukraine shopping center shattered shop windows, damaged facades, and partially destroyed the building’s interior.
Eyewitnesses describe glass scattered on sidewalks and inside buildings, open holes where windows used to be, overturned structures, and damaged equipment.
The company reported separately on the hit to the Epicenter building. They stated that part of the building was damaged by debris, but no employees were injured — the staff were in safe places in accordance with protocols.
The company also thanked the State Emergency Service for their prompt response, which helped localize the impact and preserve most of the building. Damage assessment and restoration planning are currently underway.
Part of a broader attack
The attack on Zaporizhzhia took place amid a large-scale air raid alert, which spread to most regions of Ukraine on the night of February 26 due to the threat of strike drones and ballistic missiles.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia attacked gas infrastructure in the Poltava region and power substations in the Kyiv and Dnipro regions. There were also reports of damage to an energy facility in the south of the Odesa region, strikes on industrial enterprises in the Poltava region, and railway infrastructure in several regions.
Civilian infrastructure under attack
Strikes on shopping centers indicate continued attacks on civilian infrastructure. Despite no reports of casualties among shopping center employees, damage to commercial facilities means losses for local businesses and the temporary suspension of operations at some enterprises.
The extent of the damage in Zaporizhzhia is still being assessed.
