The White House, the European Union, and several European leaders condemned Russia's Oct. 5 missile strike on a cafe in Kharkiv Oblast's village of Hroza that claimed over 50 lives.
"Russia's appalling terror against Ukraine's civilian population shows no signs of abating and reached another grim landmark today," the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a statement.
"Intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes. Russia's leadership, all commanders, perpetrators, and accomplices of these atrocities will be held to account."
Russian troops struck the cafe when residents gathered for a memorial service, killing 51 people and injuring another six, according to the latest information published by Governor Oleh Syniehubov. There was also a grocery store in the same building.
"Can you imagine just walking to the grocery store with your kids trying to figure out what is it that you're going to make for dinner. And you see an explosion happen where bodies are everywhere and it's horrifying, it is incredibly horrifying for the people of Ukraine, for your colleagues who are reporting this on the ground, and for these families," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing.
"And this is again what the president keeps talking about over and over again: we have to continue to support the people of Ukraine because this is the horrifying nature that they live in every day," Jean-Pierre concluded.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said Russia must be stopped as soon as possible and "kept accountable for all its barbarism." "I pay tribute to those who lost their lives and condolences to their families," he said on X (formerly Twitter).
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić said via X: "I condemn in the strongest terms the Russian strike on a grocery store in Kupiansk which killed several innocent civilians. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the authorities as they face yet another unspeakable tragedy."
The attack wiped out over half of the village's population, in what became the single deadliest Russian attack against civilians in 2023.
Daria Shulzhenko
