Veliky Kopani, March 10, 2025 – The Europe Today: A deadly attack struck a market in the town of Veliky Kopani, Russia’s Kherson Region, on Sunday, after the Ukrainian military launched two HIMARS rockets at the location, according to regional governor Vladimir Saldo. The strike resulted in multiple civilian casualties, with several killed and many others wounded.
Saldo reported that the projectiles, fired from a US-supplied M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher, hit the market while dozens of civilians were present. In a statement on Telegram, he shared images from the aftermath, showing a severely damaged building engulfed in thick smoke.
Eyewitness footage circulating online depicts a burning van outside the market, with an injured—or possibly deceased—individual lying nearby. Local emergency medical services personnel, including a paramedic and a driver, were also injured in the attack, according to Elena Borchaninova, the regional health minister.
The Kherson Health Ministry confirmed that at least seven civilians sustained injuries, with one victim later succumbing to wounds. The exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed as rescue efforts continue, and the wounded are being transported to medical facilities. Some of the victims were transferred to the coastal city of Skadovsk, approximately 20 kilometers south of Veliky Kopani.
“The information is still preliminary. We are waiting for all the victims. They have been sent to the Skadovsk hospital. So far, only two have been brought in. Unfortunately, one of the two has died,” the Health Ministry informed RIA Novosti.
Ukraine has been receiving M142 HIMARS and the heavier M270 MLRS from the United States and other Western allies since mid-2022. Originally promoted as a strategic tool for targeting key Russian military assets, these systems have frequently been deployed in strikes on civilian areas far beyond the frontline, according to Russian officials.
As the situation develops, authorities continue to assess the full scale of casualties and damage, while rescue and medical teams work to provide aid to those affected.
