Six dead in market attack as Ukraine remembers war dead

Six individuals have been killed in an area market space within the southern Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson.

In line with regional authorities the Russian shelling occurred at round 09:00 (06:00 GMT). That was simply as individuals throughout Ukraine had stopped to recollect their conflict useless.

“Defenders Day” is held yearly in honour of the armed forces.

The shelling, close to an area market and bus cease, was in all probability from Russian “barrel artillery”, in response to the area’s prosecutor’s workplace.

One picture, from native media, confirmed a physique mendacity on the pavement by packing containers of fruit.

Moscow has repeatedly denied concentrating on civilians.

Preliminary studies stated seven had died medical doctors have been in a position to save one one who had been “thought-about useless”.

Kherson was occupied by Russian troops shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and was liberated by Ukraine in November.

It nonetheless lies extraordinarily near the frontline with fierce combating on the opposite aspect of the Dnipro River.

It was at 08:55 on Tuesday that folks in Kyiv and all through Ukraine noticed a10-minute silence for Defenders Day.

A small crowd had gathered at a memorial web site on Maidan Sq. in Kyiv.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, hundreds of Ukrainian flags have been planted right here alongside framed photos of fallen troopers.

Halyna’s 29 12 months outdated son, Kostyantyn, was killed combating within the Kherson area in July 2022.

“He was a platoon chief, a junior lieutenant,” Halyna instructed the BBC, clinging on to a photograph of him, holding again tears.

“He was a really good man. His comrades got here just lately and instructed how he fought and the way he died. It’s very laborious for me.”

Because the silence started, we watched as automobiles stopped in the course of a busy highway and folks stood solemnly within the streets in a second that felt charged with emotion, sorrow and intense nationwide delight.

Quickly, the sound of the Ukrainian nationwide anthem could possibly be heard echoing by the nonetheless streets.

It was at round that point that the strike on Kherson metropolis came about in southern Ukraine.

Individually, 21 individuals have reportedly been wounded as a consequence of Russian glide bombs hitting residential and industrial areas within the metropolis of Zaporizhzhia.

On the entrance line in Ukraine’s east, Russian troops proceed to press laborious and Donetsk regional head Vadym Filashkin has stated they’ve virtually reached the centre of the city of Vuhledar.

Simply 107 individuals are stated to stay within the bombed out city with youngsters already evacuated and humanitarian help “virtually unattainable” to ship – in response to Filashkin.

As a part of Defenders Day, President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to those that had been killed within the combating, saying: “You sacrifice yourselves in order that Ukraine doesn’t need to be sacrificed.”

Yuliya’s accomplice, Bogdan, served as a military medic treating individuals through the devastating siege of Mariupol earlier than he was captured by Russian troops.

“I’ve a daughter, she’s 5 years outdated so I believe she helps me loads as a result of she’s my sense now to stay. I have to be sturdy. And I have to be now a mom and a father in a single particular person.”

Bogdan was one in every of dozens who died within the July 2022 explosion at Olenivka prison, which Kyiv believes was a deliberate try by Russia to destroy proof of conflict crimes though Moscow blamed Ukrainian missiles.

For numerous Ukrainian households, remembrance is a non-public act, in addition to a public one.

Yuliya says she desires to her daughter to recollect her father: “What he did for us and all the pieces we’ve now’s due to him. He was defending us.”