Russian troops hit a cafe in the village of Hroza with Iskander: 51 dead, Kharkiv region grieves

On Thursday, October 5, Russian troops shelled the village of Hroza (Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region). Dozens of people were killed, including a child. Three days of mourning have been declared in the region.

According to the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, the occupants opened fire at around 13:15. At that time, there were many civilians in the cafe and grocery store in the village of Groza.

The death toll as a result of another war crime of the Russian Federation has increased to 51 people. Their bodies were taken out from under the rubble. Among the dead is a 6-year-old boy.

– 51. One of the wounded died while receiving medical aid,” said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

Earlier it was reported that seven people, including one child, were injured. According to the updated data from the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, all seven wounded are adults: six women, most of whom are over 50, and a 55-year-old man.

One of the wounded later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 51.

Two of the women are in serious condition, while the rest of the victims are in moderate condition.

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office reports that a pre-trial investigation has been launched into the violation of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As of 19:50, rubble removal and rescue operations in the village of Hroza have been completed. The death toll has not changed: 51 people, including one child born in 2017. Six people were injured.

Iskander at the place of the wake: details from the Ministry of Internal Affairs

The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, told the United News telethon that the store and cafe were located nearby. At the time of the shelling, a wake for a local resident was taking place there.

About 60 people, including children, were on the territory of the facility. In total, about 330 people live in the village of Groza.

According to Klymenko, the memorial dinner was attended by people “from every family, from every yard.”

Seven people were seriously injured in the shelling. Klymenko noted that the wounded “are on operating tables”.

29 bodies have been identified, the rest have been sent to expert institutions in Kharkiv. There may still be 5-7 people under the rubble.

The building of the cafe and shop was completely destroyed. At the time of the strike, some people were about 50 meters or more away from the building. That is why they were seriously injured by shrapnel.

Klymenko emphasized that the strike was very accurate, and therefore there is a suspicion that the gunner could have been someone from the local community.

The Kharkiv police noted that there were no soldiers in the store-cafe at the time of the attack. Rescuers, police and medics are working at the scene of the attack.

According to preliminary data, Russian troops hit the store-cafe with a missile from the Iskander tactical missile system.

– “According to preliminary findings, the institution was hit by Iskander,” the Interior Ministry emphasized.

The spokesman for the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Dmytro Chubenko, said during the telethon that a cruise missile was most likely used, which is a modification of the Iskander missile.

According to Chubenko, there were about 100 people in the village of Hroza at the time of the attack.

– “Most of the villagers were killed by a single missile launched by the Russians,” he said, adding that this is the largest number of casualties in the region from a single attack during the war.

Chubenko clarified that at the time of the attack on the cafe, a wake for one of the soldiers was taking place there. His relatives and friends were present. All these people were civilians, mostly women and the elderly.

The spokesperson for the Kharkiv Department of the State Emergency Service, Yevhen Vasylenko, said on the air of the telethon that there could have been more than 60 people in the cafe, and “there is a possibility that there are still people under the rubble.” Most of the wounded are in serious condition.

Reaction of the president and the first lady

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the Russian terrorist attack. He noted that the occupiers deliberately opened fire on a civilian facility.

– “This is a brutal Russian crime… Russian terror must be stopped. Anyone who helps Russia circumvent sanctions is a criminal. Everyone who still supports Russia is supporting evil. The Russian Federation needs this and similar terrorist attacks for only one thing: to make its genocidal aggression the new normal for the whole world,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

He expressed condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in the village of Hroza today.

In addition, the President thanked those leaders and nations who support Ukraine “in the defense of life.” He clarified that negotiations with European leaders are underway to strengthen our air defense to protect Ukraine from Russian terror.

– And we will respond to the terrorists. Absolutely fairly. And powerfully,” Zelenskyy added.

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska noted that the Russian attack on the village of Hroza “is cruel and makes no sense, just like the war unleashed by the Russian Federation.”

Hard to believe that people can do such things. Russians attacked Hroza village in Kharkiv region, a grocery store and a cafe. More than 50 people were killed, including a child. Another child is among injured. This attack is cruel and has no sense, like the war unleashed by RF.

— Олена Зеленська (@ZelenskaUA) October 5, 2023

Three days of mourning in Kharkiv region

Due to the terrorist attack in the village of Hroza, three days of mourning have been declared in the Kharkiv region from October 6 to 8.

– “The terrorist attack by the Russian military on the village of Hroza was the bloodiest crime of the Russians in the Kharkiv region since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” said the head of the OVA, Oleg Sinegubov.

There were no military targets

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine emphasized that there were no military targets at the site of the Russian strike in the village of Hroza.

– The terrorists deliberately attacked during lunchtime to ensure maximum casualties. There were no military objects there. This is a heinous crime designed to frighten Ukrainians,” the ministry said.

At least 49 people were killed by a russian missile strike on a cafe and a grocery store in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv region. Among them is a 6-year-old boy. The terrorists deliberately carried out the attack during lunchtime, to ensure a maximum number of casualties. There… pic.twitter.com/vjluqThoZn

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 5, 2023

It is worth noting that the village of Hroza is located quite far from the combat zone (more than 50 km away).

One of the deadliest attacks during the war

Sky News notes that the shelling of the village of Hroza is one of the deadliest attacks on Ukrainian civilians since the beginning of the full-scale war.

A Russian air strike on a drama theater in Mariupol and a missile strike on a railway station in Kramatorsk also resulted in a massive number of casualties.

It is believed that up to 600 people could have died in Mariupol, as the theater where they were hiding from Russian shelling was destroyed by the occupiers in March 2022.

And in Kramatorsk, more than 50 people died in April 2022. At the time of the shelling, they were waiting for evacuation trains.

The world’s reaction to the shelling of the village of Hroza

The international community has already begun to respond to the horrific terrorist attack by the Russian Federation.

– I was horrified to learn the news of Russia’s barbaric shelling of the village of Hroza and the deaths of dozens of civilians. My sincere condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones. We must defeat this evil,” said Martin Harris, the newly appointed British Ambassador to Ukraine.

I was horrified to learn the news of Russia’s barbaric shelling of the village of Hroza and the deaths of dozens of civilians.

My sincere condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones.

We must defeat this evil.

— Martin Harris (@MartinHarrisOBE) October 5, 2023

Estonian President Alar Karis said that such tragedies as the killing of civilians in the village of Groza confirm that Ukraine needs further assistance.

– “This is absolutely terrible news. The killing of civilians is deplorable. Every crime must be punished. Tragedies like this confirm that Ukraine continues to need help and support,” he wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

The UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown condemned the Russian attack and noted that the footage from the scene of the attack was “absolutely horrifying.” On behalf of the UN, she expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims. Brown also reminded that a deliberate attack on civilians is a war crime.

Photo: Telegram of Andrii Yermak, Telegram of Oleh Synehubov, Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Internal Affrairs