At least 8 killed in Russian shelling of Kyiv shopping center
Lviv, Ukraine, Mar 21 (EFE).- At least eight people were killed after Russian forces shelled a shopping center in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said Monday.
A statement from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office shared on Telegram said an investigation has been opened into Sunday night’s rocket attack by Russian troops on the Podilskyi district of Kyiv, “which caused extensive destruction and left eight people dead.”
The inquiry would investigate the alleged “violation of the laws and customs of war”, which translates into “intentional homicide,” the statement added.
On the night of March 20, Russian armed forces used “means of warfare prohibited by international law” to carry out a missile attack on the Podilskyi district, the prosecutor’s office said.
The shopping center was destroyed as a result of the fire caused by the attack, while the windows of nearby houses and cars parked nearby were also damaged.
The statement from the prosecutor’s office added that information on the dead and wounded would be updated as rescue teams and law enforcement officials continue to work at the scene.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko has announced a new 35-hour curfew for the capital city and surrounding areas, from Monday at 8pm until 7am on Wednesday.
Stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other establishments will remain closed throughout Tuesday and urged citizens to exercise extreme caution.
“I ask everyone to stay at home or in shelters when the alarms sound. You can move around the city with special passes, following the rules of martial law,” the mayor said. EFE
int-egw/ks/jt
