The attack on the village of Groza in the east of the country caused an uproar in the international community. According to the latest report from Ukrainian authorities, 51 people have died.
At least 51 people, including a child, died in Groza on Thursday, October 5th. This small village in eastern Ukraine was attacked at around 1:15 p.m. (local time) as a group of people gathered for the funeral of a Ukrainian soldier who died in battle, a spokesman for the regional prosecutor’s office said. Six people were also injured in the attack attributed to Russia, which shocked the international community. There were further strikes on Thursday October 5th. Here’s what you should remember.
“A completely premeditated act of terrorism” for the Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelensky was in Spain on Thursday to attend a meeting with European leaders when he learned of the tragedy. The Ukrainian president immediately condemned to the press an “inhumane terrorist attack” against this village near the front line.
The group affected by that strike gathered at a store and a cafe in this town of 330, located about thirty kilometers west of Koupiansk. The region’s governor, Oleg Synegoubov, called the Groza tragedy the deadliest attack in the Kharkiv region since the Russian invasion began. A three-day mourning was declared.
“Horrific,” “Russian atrocities” on an “even more sinister level”: The international community is in shock
The White House spokesman spoke of a “terrible” act that Ukraine experienced in Groza on Thursday. This “bloody” attack also triggered a reaction from the European Union’s diplomatic chief: “The Russian atrocities are reaching an even more sinister level,” wrote Josep Borrell on his X account (formerly Twitter).
“Deliberate attacks on civilians are war crimes,” Josep Borell continued, warning the “Russian leaders,” the “commanders,” the “perpetrators and accomplices of these atrocities” that they “must be held accountable,” he then posed in a statement Clearly release press release.
For the British Prime Minister, this attack in Groza “shows the extent of the depravity that Russian forces are prepared to commit,” commented Rishi Sunak.
“Clear agreements” between Europeans and Ukrainians
“It is only possible to protect people from such attacks (…) with the help of anti-aircraft defense,” emphasized Volodymyr Zelensky from Granada (Spain) at the summit of the European Political Community, which brings together almost 50 European heads of state and government. The Ukrainian president discussed the delivery of a new American Patriot system to Kiev after his meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Spanish summit.
While the political crisis in Washington raises doubts about the continuation of aid to Kiev, Volodymyr Zelensky also claimed to have reached “clear agreements” at the summit in Granada. European countries have promised to supply air defense and artillery systems. A very [importante] before winter,” commented Volodymyr Zelensky before thanking Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Great Britain on his Telegram account.
Kiev, on the other hand, loses military aid from Slovakia. Following the electoral success of parties opposed to aid to neighboring Ukraine, Bratislava has decided to freeze its decisions on military support for Kiev until a new government is formed, the presidency announced.
Kherson again targeted by bomb attacks
Shortly before 9:30 a.m. (local time), the center of Kherson was bombed, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement. A man and a woman who were on the street were killed. A hospital in the region was also “partially destroyed” in the night from Wednesday to Thursday and two people were injured.
Kiev claims to have shot down almost all of the drones sent by Russia to Ukraine during the night.
Russian city attacked by cluster munitions
Earlier on Thursday, the governor of Russia’s Kursk region accused the Ukrainian army of firing cluster munitions at the town of Rylsk, near the border with Ukraine.
Roman Starovoit confirmed that the use of this criticized weapon resulted in a civilian injury. Cluster munitions are a type of hollow projectile that in turn contains other smaller bombs and can disperse several hundred small explosive charges. At the beginning of July, the USA announced that it would supply such weapons to Ukraine.
More than 26,000 Ukrainians have been missing since the conflict began
Since the cunning invasion began in February 2022, 26,000 Ukrainians have disappeared and no one has heard from them. “Among them are 11,000 civilians and about 15,000, [sont] Military personnel,” Deputy Interior Minister Leonid Tymchenko announced on national television.
This preliminary assessment only concerns Ukrainians whose data could be “officially verified,” the minister’s spokesman added. “This number could rise further” if reviews continue. Ukraine does not disclose all human losses in this war, especially its military losses.