At Ukraine’s request, UNSC calls an emergency meeting to discuss Kremenchuk attack

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday (3 pm EST) to discuss the Ukraine situation after Russia targeted a 'crowded' shopping mall in Kremenchuk city on Monday. The meeting has been called at Ukraine's request.

"In light of the gravity of barbaric missile attacks by Russian terrorist state Ukraine has requested Security Council to hold a meeting under agenda item Maintenance peace & security of Ukraine. The fascist Russia & all responsible eventually will be punished," the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said in a letter to Albania which is currently chairing the UNSC.

Russian missile hits shopping mall In Kremenchuk; 18 killed

A Russian air strike on Monday killed at least 18 people and injured several others in what Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called "one of the most daring terrorist attacks in European history". He said that over 1,000 people were inside the mall at the time of the attacks.

Ukraine leaders have denounced the strike as a war crime and a terrorist attack. The attacks have also drawn condemnation from G7 leaders. "Russia cannot and should not win," French President Emmanuel Macron said. He added that June 27's attack on the mall was “a new war crime."

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov claimed that Moscow fired precision-guided missiles at a depot that had Western weapons, which exploded and hit the mall. Ukrainian officials have countered that, saying the mall was struck directly.

Konashenkov also claimed that the shopping centre was not in use. However, the claim was contradicted by witnesses. One survivor told the AP that the mall was packed with people. He recalled going out for a cigarette when the air raid siren went off.

"There was a black tunnel, smoke, fire. I started to crawl. I saw the sun up there, and my brain was telling me I need to save myself," he said.