26.10.2026 16:21

Russian strikes on October 24 destroyed the last remaining Epicentr hypermarket operating in Kharkiv.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov said this in his weekly report on Telegram, Ukrinform says.

“On their third attempt, the Russians destroyed the last Epicentr that was still operating in Kharkiv. They attacked this hypermarket three times over the past two months. After the first two strikes, it was possible to repair the store and reopen it. But on October 24, a series of strikes by jet-powered drones caused a massive fire. The blaze quickly engulfed all the sales areas and warehouses,” the mayor said.

He stressed that the city remains in contact with the store’s management and is ready to provide the necessary municipal and operational-technical assistance to help clear the site, remove debris and put the area back in order.

“For Kharkiv, this is not simply the loss of a major retail facility. First and foremost, it means hundreds of jobs. In addition, this was where residents went after their homes were damaged by shelling to purchase repair materials under the government’s eVidnovlennia program and use certificates from charitable foundations to buy essential goods for their homes and everyday needs,” Terekhov said.

According to his data, Kharkiv came under attack 36 times last week, killing three people and injuring 28 others to varying degrees. Three of those injured were children.

The Russians mainly used jet-powered Shahed drones, which accounted for 28 of the 36 recorded attacks. They also carried out strikes using Banderol drone-missiles, FPV drones, unidentified UAVs and Tornado-S multiple rocket launchers.

According to the mayor, the private housing sector was particularly badly damaged. Several apartment buildings were also damaged, while Russian forces targeted civilian industrial enterprises, warehouses, offices, a television tower, and railway and energy infrastructure. Shock waves also damaged the Kharkiv circus.

Russian forces again used the tactic of follow-up strikes.

“On October 24, while fires were being extinguished in the Osnovianskyi and Industrialnyi districts, emergency service workers came under enemy fire. Three rescuers were injured. At one of the sites, a fire tanker was completely destroyed,” Terekhov said.

As reported, on October 24, a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv’s Novobavarskyi district killed one person and injured three others.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

(C)UKRINFORM 2026