Russian strikes across Ukraine killed six civilians amidst an intensification of air attacks, officials said. A second day of air strikes on the Zaporizhzhia region left at least three dead, its governor said. A woman was killed and five people injured in the bombardment of the northern town of Bilopillia, and one 77-year-old woman was killed and three people injured in an artillery bombardment of the threatened eastern town of Chasiv Yar, according to police and officials.
In the central town of Poltava, one person was killed and five injured, including three children, when shells caused a fire and the collapse of a building roof, officials said. Russia has stepped up its attacks in recent weeks, targeting energy infrastructure in response to Ukraine drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Zaporizhzhia has been particularly badly hit. Three people were killed in an attack on the town of Gulyaipole on Sunday.
Regional governor Ivan Federov said three more died and eight were injured Monday in a missile strike on an “industrial installation” in the Pologivskyi district. He said in a social media message that 14 buildings were damaged. Russia controls part of the Zaporizhzhia region and on Sunday it claimed two Ukrainian drones hit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in two days. Ukraine has countered that Russian drones had hit the plant in a bid to blame the Ukrainian military. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has called on both sides to show restraint.