The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that at least nine people were injured in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine due to Russian shelling on Thursday while evacuations were underway due to flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office initially stated that at least one person was killed in the Russian shelling, but later clarified that there were no reports of fatalities.
In a statement on the Telegram app, the Ministry of Internal Affairs indicated that the shelling began "precisely during the evacuation of citizens whose homes were flooded." It reiterated accusations that Russia abandoned people in the occupied territories in the Kherson region, adding that Russia "continues to prevent Ukraine from saving what is of the greatest value; human lives." The Prosecutor General's office announced it has launched an investigation into possible war crimes, mentioning that four additional people were injured in a neighboring village.
Conversely, Russia denied targeting civilians despite its shelling of cities across Ukraine. Oleksandr Prokudin, the Ukrainian governor of Kherson, stated that 68% of the flooded territories are located on the left bank of the Dnipro River, which is occupied by Russia, noting that the city of Kherson is located on the Dnipro River about 60 kilometers upstream from the Kakhovka dam. Russia accused Ukrainian forces of shelling rescue workers in the areas occupied by Russia in the Kherson region, and both sides exchanged accusations regarding the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric station and dam that occurred on Tuesday.
