Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has issued a heartfelt video plea inviting world leaders to attend a “peace summit” in Switzerland next month, following a tragic Russian attack on a DIY hypermarket in Kharkiv. The incident resulted in the loss of at least 16 lives and left many others injured.
In his appeal, Zelenskiy specifically called on US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to participate in the summit scheduled to commence on 15 June. He urged them to demonstrate their leadership in promoting genuine peace, emphasizing the importance of sustained peace efforts beyond temporary ceasefires.
As of now, Biden’s attendance remains unconfirmed, and there is ongoing negotiation regarding China’s potential participation, as mentioned by Zelenskiy’s aide Mykhailo Podolyak in a recent interview.
The recent attack took place after a week of relentless Russian missile and air strikes that instilled fear in Ukraine’s second city. The strikes targeted various locations, including a printing house, residential areas, and a central park, with many lacking clear military significance.
Reflecting on the tragic event, Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, disclosed that around 120 individuals were present in the hardware store during the attack. He condemned the incident as an act of terrorism, expressing concern over the deliberate targeting of a crowded shopping center.
Prosecutors said at least 16 people had died, of whom 10 had not yet been identified, and 43 injured. More than 10 are still missing after the strike. A separate missile strike early in the evening hit a residential building in the centre of the city, injuring 18 people, according to the regional governor.
In recent weeks, Russia has been working to make life a misery for Kharkiv, a city 20 miles from the border with Ukraine, and which had a pre-war population of over a million. Although life in the city goes on, deadly strikes have become a daily feature of life.
Because of the proximity of the city to the border, Russian fighter jets can launch glide bombs into the city centre from inside Russia. Ukrainian officials say improved air defence systems and F-16 fighter jets are vital components in defending the city. The Kharkiv region has also been the focus of a new Russian offensive over the last two weeks, centred on the town of Vovchansk, which has caused thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Russia has claimed its attacks on Kharkiv region are aimed at creating a “buffer zone” to prevent Ukrainian forces from launching strikes against Russian border regions.
The strike on Saturday targeted a popular suburban shopping complex. Andriy Kudinov, its director, told local media the store had been packed with shoppers buying items for their summer cottages.
Witnesses described panicked scenes at the supermarket. “I was at my workplace. I heard the first hit and … with my colleague, we fell to the ground. There was the second hit and we were covered with debris. Then we started to crawl to the higher ground,” Dmytro Syrotenko, 26, told Reuters, speaking with a large cut on his face.
The strike sparked a fire that sent large clouds of dark smoke billowing above the shopping centre. Rescue work is dangerous in these conditions, and repeat strikes targeting first responders have been a common feature of recent Russian attacks.
Defence minister Rustem Umerov said over the weekend that Russia had launched nearly 10,000 guided air bombs against Ukraine since the beginning of the year. “Our country needs more modern air defence systems and aviation. We talk about it with our allies every day and at every opportunity,” he wrote on Facebook.
Zelenskiy on Sunday said the Kharkiv attack was further proof that Russia is not interested in peace. “We all know who are we dealing with. Russia is run by men who want to make it a norm – burning lives, destroying cities and villages, dividing people and erasing national borders through war. There is no nation that can stop such war alone,” he said.
