Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that a Russian missile struck a supermarket in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, resulting in at least 14 deaths and 43 injuries. The attack occurred in the middle of the day in Kostiantynivka, located in the Donetsk region, where an air-launched missile caused extensive destruction. “This is yet another targeted attack on a crowded location, yet another act of terror by the Russians,” stated Vadym Filashkin, the head of the Donetsk region, in a post on Telegram.

This attack is the second of its kind in Kostiantynivka within the past year; a previous strike in September of last year resulted in 17 fatalities when a Russian missile hit an outdoor market. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also emphasized in a Telegram post that Russia will be “held accountable for this terror.”

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported that July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since October 2022, when Russia intensified its bombings. The attack in Kostiantynivka coincides with Russian authorities declaring a “federal emergency” in the Kursk region, just four days after Ukrainian forces conducted what appears to be their largest cross-border operation since the onset of the war.

RIA-Novosti reported that reinforcements, including rocket launchers, artillery, and tanks, were sent to counter the Ukrainian advance. “The operational situation in the Kursk region is difficult,” stated Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov in a Telegram post. Authorities indicated that around 3,000 people have been evacuated due to the fighting.

Ukraine’s strategic objectives with this operation remain unclear. However, Myhailo Podolyak, one of Zelenskyy’s senior advisers, remarked that the attack will force the Russians to confront the reality that “the war is slowly creeping into Russian territory.” The U.S. Department of Defense reported that the raids are “in line” with U.S. policy that discourages Ukrainian attacks deep within Russian territory, as such actions could escalate the conflict.

Marina Miron, a military analyst at King’s College London, described the Ukrainian offensive as a “blow to Russia’s face” and added that it needs to be halted from an informational perspective to demonstrate that Russia can indeed defend its borders. Ukrainian military intelligence also reported an operation involving Ukrainian special forces on the Russian-occupied Kinburn Spit in the Black Sea, where six armored vehicles were destroyed.

Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, noted that this is the first time a sovereign foreign power has crossed into Russian territory in active military combat since the end of World War II. He suggested that the Ukrainian offensive could also aim to divert Russian forces from the front lines in Donbas and instill fear among Russian soldiers in the region. “The goal is also to expose Vladimir Putin’s regime as a colossus on clay feet, so to speak, to show his elite that he is not as strong as he appears to be,” he stated.