Shelling in Ukraine’s Kherson region leaves civilians dead

Several towns and villages in Ukraine’s Kherson region have come under Russian drone, air and artillery attacks over the past two days, leaving civilians dead and injured, local authorities say.

According to the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, the strikes took place between December 28 and 29 and targeted both critical and social infrastructure, as well as residential areas.

He said six apartment blocks and 27 private houses were damaged. A gas pipeline, an outbuilding, a garage and a car were also destroyed.

Nine people were wounded in the attacks, while another nine residents were evacuated from affected communities.

On December 27, an 81-year-old woman was killed during shelling of the village of Stanislav, officials said.

Another elderly woman was killed on December 28 afternoon after the Dniprovskyi district of the city of Kherson came under fire, Prokudin added.

Kherson region, much of which lies close to the front line, has been subjected to frequent shelling since Ukrainian forces retook the regional capital in late 2022.

By Aghakazim Guliyev