Zelensky alleges 'brutal Russian crime' in Ukraine after at least 51 killed in strike

The Ukrainian prosecutor general said at least 51people were killed, including a six-year-old boy, in a Russian strike on Thursday (Oct 5) in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saidon the messaging app Telegram that Russia targeted a grocery store, describing the attack as a "brutal Russian crime".

Zelensky said the strike had slammed into the Kupiansk district, which borders Russia. In the war-battered region, Russian forces have been pushing to recapture territory they lost last year to Ukrainian troops.

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In a statement on social media, Zelensky said: "The brutal Russian crime of hitting an ordinary grocery store with a rocket is a completely deliberate terrorist attack."

Zelensky posted an image of a woman kneeling over the body of someone apparently killed in the strike, with other corpses strewn around her, while rescue workers worked nearby.

Watch:Ukraine conflict kills 10,000 civilians, deaths in Ukraine rises this year

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.

An official said that the victims were gathered for a wake. "It was a wake for a fellow villager who died," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko was quoted as saying by the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

Kharkiv region governor Oleh Synehubov said that a cafe and a shop had been attacked at around 13:15 (10:15 GMT) in the village of Hroza in the Kupyansk district of Kharkiv and that many civilians had been there at the time.

Synehubov said on the Telegram messaging app, "The rescuers continue to work on the site."

The village is around 30 kilometres west of Kupiansk, a frontline town. It s estimated to have had a pre-war population of around 500 people.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

(With inputs from agencies)

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