Russia strikes Azov* base disguised as shopping center in Kharkiv

The Russian forces attacked the military base of the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The base was created by members of the Azov* territorial defense unit (a terrorist organization banned in Russia). The temporary deployment point for the militants was located in Target shopping center in Kharkiv.

Photo: flickr.com by Andy Dunaway, PDM

A few weeks before the attack, local businesswoman Yulia Protas said that Azov militants organized a raider takeover of the shopping center. A video of her appeal to the military was published on Telegram by strana.ua publication.

According to youcontrol.ua, Protas works in the field of rental and property management in Kharkiv.

In the video, the woman is addressing Azov* commanders with a request to comment on a "very, very bad” situation involving brigade servicemen. According to her, unidentified fighters of the 3rd separate assault brigade seized the premises of Target shopping center, declared it a military facility and ordered all shop owners out.

On the morning of September 1, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive attack on military and energy facilities of Ukraine. More than a dozen explosions were reported in Kharkiv alone. According to Kharkiv 1654 Telegram channel, most of the rockets hit "one and the same place".

*terrorist organization, banned in Russia