Russia "Cannot, Must Not Win" Against Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron Says Following Strike on Crowded Mall

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France called Russia's bombing on a busy shopping mall in Ukraine a "new war crime" and declared that the West will continue to back Kyiv. He said that Moscow "cannot and should not win" the conflict.

At least 18 people were killed in the attack, which took place in the central city of Kremenchuk, as leaders from the Group of Seven gathered in Europe. It was a part of an exceptionally strong barrage of Russian fire across Ukraine, including in the capital, Kyiv.

Macron Vows to Support Ukraine

Macron addressed this worry in his speech at the conclusion of the G7 conference in Germany, promising that the G7 will continue to assist Ukraine and sustain sanctions against Russia "as long as necessary, and with the required severity."

He declared, "Russia cannot and should not win." As they did in earlier strikes, Russian officials asserted that the shopping mall was not the objective of Monday's attack, which he branded "a new war crime."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "terrorist" in a virtual address to the UN Security Council and demanded that Russia be ejected from the organization. He also asked the UN to set up a global tribunal to look into what Russia did in Ukraine, as per STUFF.

Zelenskyy called the attack, which left at least 18 people dead according to officials, one of the "most defiant acts of terrorism in European history." As the conflict dragged on, it was a part of an especially ferocious onslaught of Russian fire across Ukraine, including in the capital, Kiev. Zelenskyy further asked the UN to set up a global tribunal to look into Russia's actions in Ukraine, USA Today reported.

According to Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, jets shot missiles at a neighboring stockpile that was burning because it contained Western armaments. Officials from Ukraine claim that the mall was damaged by the missile but deny that the storage contained any weapons.

Russia Continues Its Rocket Attack in Ukraine

Denis Monastyrsky, the interior minister for Ukraine, claimed that many people who were inside the building when an air raid alarm sounded swiftly left and sought refuge across the street. He claimed that some of the bodies of those who didn't make it out in time have been severely charred.

The assault brought to mind past wartime bombings that damaged a theater, a railroad station, and a hospital. One of the most audacious terrorist strikes in European history, according to Zelenskyy.

Per The Sentiniel-Record, authorities in the city of Dnipro claimed that workers at a diesel automobile repair shop were trapped in debris following a hit from a cruise missile fired from the Black Sea. Rocket assaults continued elsewhere in Ukraine. According to the sources, the Ukrainian military was able to intercept and destroy further missiles fired against the city.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, took an aggressive tone amid widespread condemnation, declaring that Russia will continue its attack until its objectives were achieved. He said that if Ukraine capitulated and complied with Russia's demands, including acknowledging its rule over area it had seized forcibly, hostilities might cease "by the end of the day."

According to Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, jets launched precision-guided missiles against a storage containing Western weaponry and ammunition, which detonated and ignited the mall. Although they denied it contained weapons, Ukrainian authorities said that in addition to the direct attack on the mall, a factory was also hit.

Zelensky has urged his Western allies to provide his military with stronger air defense systems so they can retaliate. A prominent topic of discussion at a meeting this week in Madrid will be NATO's support for Ukraine. On Tuesday, Turkey decided to drop its objections to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, sending a strong message of solidarity.