Lysychansk: Dozens killed in strike on Russia-held Ukraine city
According to Russian authorities, a strike on a bakery in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian town of Lysychansk has resulted in the deaths of at least 28 individuals.
The incident occurred on Saturday, targeting a building that housed both the bakery and a restaurant named Adriatic.
Russian officials reported that among the casualties were servicemen, servicewomen, and a child.
The Kremlin condemned the attack as a “terrorist act” carried out by Ukraine, alleging the use of Western-supplied weaponry.
While Kyiv has not officially responded, Ukrainian military bloggers have asserted that individuals deemed as “collaborators” and Russian officials were present in the building at the time of the strike.
In a statement, the head of the Russia-annexed Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) said that the strike claimed the life of Alexey Poteleshchenko, the minister of emergency situations, who was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant when it was hit.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of intentionally targeting the bakery, asserting that they were aware of the customary Saturday gathering of locals for baked goods and groceries, including elderly individuals and families with children.