“Russia Mercilessly Killing Civilians In Kherson”: Ukraine’s Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today blasted Russia for “mercilessly killing” civilians in Kherson as local officials reported at least five deaths following strikes on the southern city.

“The Russian army is heavily shelling Kherson. Again mercilessly killing the civilian population,” he said on social media.

“A vehicle park, residential areas, a high-rise building, and a public transport stop were hit,” Mr Zelensky added.

The strikes killed at least five people and 16 others were in hospitals with injuries, the Kherson city council said.

The Ukrainian army initially said that six people were killed in the attack.

AFP reporters saw dead bodies covered with plastic sheets or foil blankets on the streets near a bus stop and a supermarket in Kherson.

Kherson is the capital of one of the four regions — along with Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia — that Russia claims to have annexed but never fully controlled.

Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, said Russian troops had targeted the city “probably by Grad” multiple rocket-launchers and that 20 explosions had been heard.

The strikes came as Russian President Vladimir Putin was giving a state of the nation address in Moscow, nearly one year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite Russia’s retreat from Kherson in November, the city is regularly targeted by Moscow’s troops.