After a shelling death in Kherson, Ukraine has accused Russia of targeting evacuation points for those affected by the Kakhovka dam breach.
The prosecutor’s office in Kherson reported two additional injuries, while the interior ministry reported eight additional injuries caused by projectiles in Korabelna Square.
The attacks occurred during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the city, where he conferred with flood-affected locals.
The area has been evacuated of 2,000 residents, according to the governor of Kherson.
Oleksandr Prokudin stated in a video statement posted to Telegram that “evacuation from flooded areas is continuing” despite the “extreme danger and constant Russian shelling.”
However, he reported that 68% of the flooded land in the Kherson region was located on Russian-held land on the east bank of the Dnieper River.
Since the Kakhovka dam collapsed on Tuesday, the river has slowly risen, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes. The World Food Programme told the BBC on Thursday that the situation was a “public health crisis in the making” due to the contamination of floodwater with effluent, heavy oil, and pesticides.
According to the Ukraine, the inundation has affected an area of approximately 600 km2 (230 square miles), leaving hundreds of thousands of people without potable water. The Ukrainian military has utilized unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver water bottles and food to some inhabitants.
While the water level appears to have stabilized in Kherson, it continues to flow through the streets at a frightening rate, and flies and a pungent odor now permeate the air.
Rescue teams and volunteers continue to embark on vessels in an effort to save as many people and items as possible. Their efforts are punctuated by artillery bombardment in the opposite direction.
Both Kiev and Moscow have accused one another of attacking evacuation points in the region of Kherson. Senior advisor to President Zelensky Mykhailo Podolyak accused Russia of bombing the city and preventing rescuers from evacuating the population.
Vladimir Saldo, the Kremlin-appointed head of the Kherson region, stated on Telegram that two persons were killed when Ukraine shelled a civilian evacuation point that was flooded after a dam breach.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated that Russian rescue workers are “forced to work in conditions of ongoing Ukrainian shelling, which complicates their work.” He provided no evidence to support these claims.
President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his criticism of the international community, including the United Nations and the Red Cross, for their slow response to the dam collapse in Kherson, where he met with rescue personnel.
And he promised the locals that his government would be there to assist them in rebuilding their lives.
Mr. Zelensky stated, “You are presently enduring this arduous trial.” “We will assist you in restoring everything that requires repair. I am grateful and wish you well.”
There are no preparations for President Vladimir Putin to visit the affected areas, according to the Kremlin.
Small islands near to Russian-occupied territory are reportedly experiencing the most severe flooding. There are entire houses submerged.
In addition, a locally-installed Russian official reported that five people have perished and 41 have been hospitalized due to flooding in the region.
Analysts continue to observe how Ukraine’s long-anticipated advance takes shape in other regions where fighting has persisted.
On Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that his forces had repelled nocturnal attempts by Ukrainian troops to breach the frontline in Zaporizhia province.
And footage uploaded to social media by pro-war Russian bloggers and geolocated by the BBC appeared to show Ukrainian armored units falling under artillery fire as they advanced towards Russian-held territory in the Zaporizhia region.
The column appeared to be advancing towards the Tokmak fortifications, approximately 5 to 10 kilometers from the edge of Russian control. The BBC is unable to confirm when the advancement occurred.
Hanna Maliar, deputy defense minister of Ukraine, stated that Kiev’s forces continue to advance around the city of Bakhmut.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence stated in a daily intelligence report that “heavy fighting continues along multiple sectors of the front” and that Ukraine “holds the initiative” in most areas.
Wednesday, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security council, Oleksiy Danilov, denied rumors of a new offensive and stated that when Kyiv does initiate an offensive, “everyone will know about it.”
Senior US officials previously told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that it is accurate to state that the Ukraine counteroffensive is in its early stages, but that the main thrust has not yet commenced.
