A Ukrainian artillery strike on Tokmak in Zaporozhye Region, Russia has killed multiple people, including three children, Governor Evgeny Balitsky confirmed on Saturday.
Tokmak is a small town 50km from the Dnieper. The river currently divides the Russian and Ukrainian-controlled areas of the region, which joined Russia following a referendum in 2022.
“As a result of shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces of a Tokmak apartment district, several people were killed,” Balitsky said. He added that over the past several hours, the bodies of ten people were recovered from the rubble, including three children. Two people are listed as missing.
The governor noted that 13 residents were hospitalized and receiving medical care. At the moment, the damage is still being assessed, and multiple victims of the attack have been provided with temporary housing. Balitsky also promised to provide financial assistance to residents of damaged neighboring houses.
According to regional administration official Vladimir Rogov, a total of 25 private sector houses and nine multi-story buildings were left without power and gas.
“The threat of double-tap strikes remains,” the governor warned, adding that “all victims and relatives of the deceased will be provided with comprehensive help.”
On Wednesday, a Ukrainian drone strike killed an adult and two children when it dropped an explosive on their car in Kursk Region, which borders Ukraine. Kiev has increased the frequency of its attacks on Russian civilians and infrastructure over the past month, after being pushed back on the front lines in Donbass.