The destruction of the Epicenter shopping center in Kharkiv by the occupiers on May 25 led to significant pollution of air and land resources, the damage from which is estimated at more than UAH 860 million, the State Environmental Inspectorate in Kharkiv region reported.

“As a result of the shelling, the building was destroyed, a fire broke out over an area of more than 14,000 square meters, which lasted 14 hours 30 minutes. In addition to physical destruction, the fire led to significant air pollution with fugitive emissions of pollutants due to the fact that construction mixtures, paint and materials began to fade, creating a smoke cloud over the city and an additional danger to the health of residents,” the inspectorate reported on Facebook.

According to estimates by the State Environmental Inspectorate, damage due to emissions of pollutants into the air amounted to UAH 4.22 million, and due to contamination of land resources after the destruction of the hypermarket - UAH 855.9 million.

Materials and calculations of the damage caused were sent to law enforcement agencies for further investigation, the report notes.

As reported, the Russian military carried out a series of airstrikes on the Epicenter construction hypermarket in Kharkiv on May 25. The attack killed 12 men and 7 women. The victims included a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl. Another 54 people were injured.