A devastating attack on a store in the village of Sadove, located in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, has resulted in the deaths of 19 people.
This tragic event, attributed to a strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), was confirmed by Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-appointed "governor" of the region under Russian control. This is reported by Moscow Times.
Five Injured in Critical Condition
Saldo reported that in addition to the fatalities, five individuals sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical attention.
"Emergency services are working at the scene with all necessary precautions in place," Saldo mentioned on his Telegram channel.
Escalation of Violence
This incident is part of a broader escalation of violence in the region. On the night of May 31, a separate Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kharkiv claimed the lives of five people and injured 25 others.
Concurrently, the Russian Armed Forces launched an attack on Kyiv, employing an Iskander-K cruise missile and four Shahed-131/136 drones.
According to Mykola Oleschuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, all targets aimed at the capital were successfully intercepted by Ukraine's air defense systems.
Civilians Bearing the Brunt
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, initiated by Vladimir Putin, continues to inflict severe suffering on civilians on both sides. Before the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukrainian forces did not target Russian territories or Crimea.
The only active conflict zones were the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics (LNR and DNR), where fighting began in 2014 after Russian militants led by Igor Strelkov seized the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast.
War's Human Cost
The current war dwarfs the earlier conflict in Donbas in terms of scale and casualties. In 2021, the last year before the full-scale invasion, 25 civilians were killed in Donbas, half of them due to landmine incidents and handling explosive devices.
In stark contrast, the United Nations reports that by November 2023, over 10,000 civilians had died since the invasion began, including more than 560 children.
Additionally, 18,500 civilians have been injured, and millions have been displaced, with residents of Donbas suffering the most.
Verification Challenges
The UN emphasizes that the figure of 10,000 civilian deaths is based on their verified methodology, but the actual number is likely higher due to the complexities and delays in data verification.
In Russia, regions close to the conflict have also experienced significant casualties. In Belgorod Oblast alone, 120 civilians have died, and 651 have been injured over the past two years of war, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Among the dead are 11 children, with 51 children among the injured, some of whom have suffered limb amputations due to their injuries.
