EU condemns Russian missile strike on mall in Ukraine

The EU on Tuesday condemned a Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in Ukraine's Kremenchuk city that killed at least 18 people and injured many others.

"The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian missile strike on a shopping centre in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk," said a statement from the office of Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families."

Borell said "continued shelling" of civilians and civilian objects is reprehensive, totally unacceptable, and amounts to war crimes.

"Russia bears full responsibility for these acts of aggression and all the destruction and loss of life it causes. It will be held accountable for them," he said.

The EU reiterated its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and that it will continue to provide support for Ukraine's overall economic, military, social and financial resilience, including humanitarian aid.

The Monday attack on Amstor shopping mall caused a huge fire and sent dark smoke billowing into the sky, footage shared on social media showed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said that more than 1,000 civilians were inside the mall at the time of the attack.

"Unfortunately, as of now, 18 people have been killed in the Russian strike," Dmytro Lunin, governor of the central Poltava region, said on Telegram, adding that 36 people are missing as rescuers continue searching through the rubble.