Ukrainian Drone Assault Claims Lives in Kherson Market as Official Reports Fatalities

Ukrainian drone attacks on a marketplace in the occupied town of Oleshky, located in the southern Kherson region, resulted in the deaths of seven individuals on Thursday, according to an official appointed by Moscow.

“The Ukrainian Armed Forces executed a significant drone strike using FPV drones targeting civilians,” stated Vladimir Saldo, the Kremlin-installed leader of the partially controlled Kherson region. “At least seven fatalities have been confirmed, while over 20 people sustained injuries.”

Saldo shared an image depicting a body lying between two buildings, with one building showing signs of damage. He also released a video that displayed smoke rising from the market following the drone attack, alleging that it was aimed at eliminating any survivors.

Oleshky is situated near the left bank of the Dnipro River, where Russian forces have been stationed since they first took control of the area in early 2022.

At this time, there has been no immediate response from Ukraine, and Russia’s Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the drone strikes.

In a related incident, a nighttime airstrike by Russia killed at least two people and injured 15 others in a residential area of Odesa, as reported by Ukrainian emergency services on Thursday morning.

These reported strikes occurred just one day after the United States and Ukraine finalized a minerals agreement, which was characterized by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration as a new type of support for Kyiv.

Reporting contributed by AFP.