A supermarket director in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, has been named as a suspect in a negligence investigation after the store allegedly remained open during an air raid alert before a Russian drone strike killed 16 people.
The supermarket was inside a shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city when Russian drones struck, leaving around 130 people injured, as well as 16 fatalities.
Air raid alert timing
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said around 20 minutes passed between the air raid alert being issued and the first drone strike. He said local authorities had warned businesses to stop operating during air raid alerts, but the supermarket remained open.
“While Russia is deliberately striking shopping centers and hypermarkets, a responsible approach to people’s safety must come first,” Vyhivskyi said.
Investigation scope
The investigation will examine whether customers and employees were properly warned about the danger and whether an evacuation order was issued in time. Police will also investigate reports circulating online that the doors to the shelter at the shopping centre may have been blocked.
The wider investigation is expected to examine the actions of senior employees of the company that owns the shopping centre, as well as businesses renting premises there.
Official warning
Vyhivskyi stressed the importance of acting quickly once an air raid warning is issued, particularly in areas exposed to repeated Russian attacks. “It is important to react quickly during an air raid alert – to prevent crowds and protect lives,” he said.
The minister urged managers, particularly those operating in frontline and Russian-border regions, to take air raid warnings seriously. The case centres on whether the supermarket's decision to remain open during the warning contributed to people being exposed to the deadly strike.
Authorities have not suggested that the supermarket director was responsible for the Russian attack itself. The negligence investigation is focused on whether safety measures were followed before the strike.
The Russian drone attack has once again highlighted the risks faced by civilians in Ukrainian cities, where air raid alerts can provide only a short window for businesses and residents to seek shelter. Investigators will now examine the circumstances surrounding the supermarket's operation during the alert and whether customers and staff were given adequate opportunity to reach safety.
