At least five people were killed and as many injured after Ukrainian forces shelled a bus in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, Russia’s TASS news agency reported on Friday. Russian-installed authorities in the region said the strike took place as the bus drove civilians across a bridge near the village of Darivka.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.
Videos shared by the Russian armed forces news outlet Zvezda showed the burnt out wreckage of what appeared to be the chassis of a bus and a badly-damaged van behind it with smoke pouring out its front compartment.
“Ambulance crews promptly arrived at the scene and provided emergency medical treatment to the victims,” a Telegram channel run by the Russian-installed health authorities said. The Daryivskiy bridge, which spans nearly 100 metres (yards), is one of the only Russian-controlled crossings across the Inhulets river, a tributary of the vast Dnipro.
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The bridge is strategically important as it joins two Russian-occupied areas of the region and is just 20 kilometres (12 miles) north-east of Kherson city.
It has come under shelling at least twice and Ukrainian forces said in August they had put it out of action.
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