Over 20 villagers killed in Russian occupied territory

According to the Russian occupation administration, Ukrainian forces shelled an occupied village in the southern region of Cherson, resulting in the deaths of 22 people. The Russian-appointed head of the region’s administration, Wladimir Balancesaid, reported on Friday that a village shop full of people in Sadowe was hit in the attack. He stated that there were also 15 injured, with five in critical condition, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS.

Photos attached to a post on Telegram by Saldo, the head of the regional administration, did not provide a precise impression of the extent of the incident, and there was no independent confirmation of the attack. If the figures are accurate, this would be one of the deadliest attacks by the Ukrainian army on its own territory under foreign rule during the Russian war of aggression that has lasted for over two years.

Sadowe is situated on the southern bank of the River Dnipro, just before it reaches the Black Sea, making it within reach of artillery or missiles from the Ukrainian-controlled northern bank. Despite this proximity, there have been no reports of firefights in the area. Saldo claimed that the shelling was carried out by Western Himars multiple rocket launchers and that a second attack occurred when people rushed to help after the initial strike.

In a separate incident, an attack on a residential building in the occupied Ukrainian city of Luhansk resulted in four deaths and around 40 injuries according to the occupying authorities. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the attack but stated that it was aimed at military targets, with any civilian casualties attributed to the use of Russian air defense systems.