Moscow defends strike on Ukrainian supermarket after hit on Russian warehouse

The war between Russia and Ukraine has expanded far beyond the front lines, with both sides increasingly striking targets deep inside each other’s territory. What constitutes a legitimate military target has become a growing point of contention.

A Russian drone on Sunday slammed into an ATB supermarket in Chernihiv, about 80 miles north of Kyiv, as shoppers filled their carts. Two people were killed, including a 9-year-old child, and 25 others were wounded.

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Chernihiv police said the drone was equipped with an optical camera, allowing its operator to view the target and watch the strike unfold in real time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack deliberate.

Russia has defended the supermarket strike by pointing to Ukraine’s repeated attacks on Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, which have killed nine people and injured dozens this month. Russian state media has argued that if the Wildberries warehouse is a legitimate target, then a grocery store is as well.

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Ukraine rejects that comparison, saying the Wildberries facility was used to move drone components and other sanctioned electronics for the Russian military. Drone products, including combat-ready quadcopters, are openly listed for sale on the company’s website. Journalists with the Kyiv Independent also reported finding drone bomb-release mechanisms available through the online marketplace.

Russia has not publicly presented evidence that the supermarket in Chernihiv was being used for military purposes.