Ten dead in Ukrainian shelling of Russia-controlled town, Russia-installed official says

Yevgeny Balitsky, the top Moscow-installed official in the Zaporizhzhia region, said that 18 people had been wounded in the shelling on Friday night.

 A destroyed car is seen from a destroyed building, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 25, 2023. (photo credit: REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi)
A destroyed car is seen from a destroyed building, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 25, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi)

A Russia-installed official in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region said on Saturday that shelling by Ukraine's military had killed 10 people, including three children, in the town of Tokmak.

Yevgeny Balitsky, the top Moscow-installed official in the Zaporizhzhia region, said that 18 people had been wounded in the shelling on Friday night.

Reported destruction in the town

"Two people are reported missing. Debris removal and search continues," he said on the Telegram messaging app.

Another Russian-installed local official, Vladimir Rogov, writing on his Telegram channel, said that five houses had been partially destroyed.

 Ukrainian servicemen ride in a pick-up past a destroyed Russian tank is seen in the recently liberated village of Novodarivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine July 21, 2023. (credit: STRINGER/ REUTERS)
Ukrainian servicemen ride in a pick-up past a destroyed Russian tank is seen in the recently liberated village of Novodarivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine July 21, 2023. (credit: STRINGER/ REUTERS)

Reuters could not independently verify the account of events.

Zaporizhzhia is one of four Ukrainian regions that have been partially occupied by Russian forces and formally annexed by Moscow since the February 2022 invasion.