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A Ukrainian drone strike on a city market in Tokmak, Zaporozhye Region, has killed five civilians and injured at least 21, according to Russian officials. The attack, which occurred on July 3, has been described by the Tokmak municipal administration as the deadliest on civilians in the town since the start of the conflict.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from TASS, the Russian state news agency, has detailed the strike and its aftermath. Initial reports said five people were killed and 18 civilians injured. A later update from the regional Health Ministry raised the number of injured to 21, with 13 people hospitalized. The ministry said three people with minor injuries were receiving outpatient treatment, and four patients were in stable but serious condition. One injured person had been transferred from intensive care to a ward with positive dynamics.

Key Claims

  • Five people were killed and 18 civilians were injured in the Ukrainian drone strike on the Tokmak city market, according to the Tokmak municipal administration and the regional Health Ministry.
  • The number of injured later rose to 21, with 13 people hospitalized, as reported by the regional Health Ministry.
  • The Tokmak municipal administration said the strike was deliberate, carried out on a market day when residents and people from surrounding communities had gathered to prepare for the weekend.
  • Specialists from the Federal Center for Disaster Medicine of the Russian Health Ministry are assisting with the treatment of the injured through telemedicine consultations, according to the regional Health Ministry.
  • A criminal case has been opened on terrorism charges, and July 4 has been declared a day of mourning in the Tokmak district, as reported by TASS.

Perspectives

The Russian authorities, including the Tokmak municipal administration and the regional Health Ministry, have uniformly condemned the attack as a deliberate act against civilians. A municipal administration representative was quoted as saying, "This is the first time they have struck civilians on such a scale, in a crowded place during peak hours. There had been previous drone strikes, but they hit different streets, and one, two or three people were affected. But this was a deliberate attack, carried out with the full understanding that it would result in the deaths of civilians. It was an act of particular cruelty." Another representative described the attack as "this outrage, this tragedy," noting the timing on a market day.

The reports from TASS do not include any comment from Ukrainian authorities or military, who have not been quoted in the provided material.

This article is based on reporting from TASS.