Ukrainian drones target civilians at busy market – governor (VIDEO)
The Ukrainian military carried out a drone strike on the town of Aleshki in Russia’s Kherson Region on Thursday, targeting a busy local market, the regional governor, Vladimir Saldo, has said. At least seven people have been killed in the attack and over 20 more wounded, he added in a post on Telegram.
According to Saldo, the attack occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time near the central market, where many people were present. He said the initial “massive strike” was followed by another aimed “to finish off the survivors.”
Saldo said emergency services have already arrived at the scene. He also posted on his Telegram channel a video purportedly showing the second drone attack.
“There were a lot of people in the market at the time of the attack. According to preliminary data, at least 7 people were killed and more than 20 injured. Details are being clarified,” Saldo wrote in his post.
In a video address on Telegram, Saldo said Ukrainian attacks on settlements near the Dnieper River in Kherson Region have intensified since Wednesday. “They dropped shells and ammunition from drones on the houses of heads of municipal divisions. In the morning, they continued attacks in the most barbaric way at the market in the town of Aleshki,” he said, comparing Kiev’s forces to the followers of the World War II-era Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera.
Saldo added that Ukrainian forces have previously also “systematically” targeted ambulances, making it difficult to evacuate the wounded from affected areas.
The town of Aleshki sits on the left bank of the Dnieper River, about 5km southeast of Kherson, which is under Ukrainian control. As of 2019, its population was 24,600 people. By 2024, the population had dropped fourfold, mainly due to Ukrainian military aggression and constant shelling. The town was targeted by Ukrainian drones last month, when Kiev violated the Easter truce previously reached with Moscow.
Kherson Region, along with Zaporozhye and the Donbass republics, joined Russia following referendums in 2022. Parts of the region, however, remain under Kiev’s control. Genichesk has been designated as the temporary administrative center.
