Ukrainian shelling kills 9 in occupied south: Russia-installed officials

Ukrainian forces have killed at least nine people and wounded nine others in strikes on the Russian-occupied part of the southern Kherson region, the region’s Russia-installed authorities have said.

The strikes on Friday struck an employment centre in Chaplynka, a town about 100 kilometres (62 miles) southeast of the regional capital Kherson, the region’s Moscow-appointed Governor Vladimir Saldo said.

“As of now, nine dead have been pulled out from under the rubble as well as nine who are badly injured,” Saldo was quoted as saying by Russian state television.

Moscow-backed official Konstantin Basyuk accused Kyiv of attacking civilian infrastructure in Chaplynsky, including the local pensions office and jobs centre.

Ukrainian officials and Ukrainian media have not confirmed the attacks.

Al Jazeera could not independently confirm the strikes or any resulting casualties or damage.

Russia captured the Kherson region shortly after it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but has since abandoned the region’s main town and other centres on the west bank of the Dnipro River.

Friday’s reported strikes came as Kyiv is mounting a counteroffensive to retake territory from Russian forces, focused on the south of the country.