(Reuters) – Russia fired five missiles on Ukraine’s southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Friday, killing at least three people and damaging several residential buildings and industrial facility, the regional governor said.
“What marks today’s strikes: first, there were two missile strikes, and then, about 40 minutes later, there were other strikes at the same place – just as rescuers, police started working,” Ivan Fedorov said on national TV.
Thirteen people were wounded, including a nine-year old boy, and four were hospitalized in grave condition. Two journalists were among the wounded in the city, which is near the frontline in the war with Russian forces.
At least three apartment blocks, 10 private houses, shops and an unidentified industrial facility were damaged, he added.
Images from the site, shared by Fedorov and the interior ministry, captured shattered windows of a cafe and a small shop.
Ukraine’s air force issued a ballistic missile raid alert for the region, part of which is occupied by Russia. Moscow has recently stepped up usage of ballistic missiles that are harder to intercept.
Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region was also under intense air attack in the afternoon, according to local media and regional officials. There was no immediate reports of casualties.
Earlier, Russian officials accused Ukraine of attacking the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is located southwest of the city of Zaporizhzhia and is occupied by Russian troops.
The Russian state-run RIA news agency quoted the facility press service as saying Ukrainian military drones attacked the power plant but caused no damage to its critical infrastructure.
Reuters could not independently verify the alleged incident.
In the past, both sides in the two-year-old conflict have accused each other of shelling the plant, none of whose six reactors are operating.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Frances Kerry)
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