Russia-Ukraine war: Several killed in Mykolaiv attack

Not less than seven had been killed and 22 others wounded when a Russian rocket hit a regional authorities constructing within the southern Ukrainian port metropolis, native authorities say.

The regional administration constructing is seen broken after it was hit by cruise missiles, as Russia's assault on Ukraine continues, in Mykolaiv, Ukraine [State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via Reuters]

Not less than seven folks have been killed and 22 others wounded in a rocket assault on the regional administration constructing within the southern port metropolis of Mykolaiv in Ukraine, native authorities have mentioned.

Russian forces struck the nine-storey constructing at 8:45am (05:45 GMT) on Tuesday, destroying its central part from the primary to the ninth flooring, the State Emergency Service (SES) mentioned on its Telegram channel.

Eighteen of these wounded had been pulled from the rubble, it mentioned, including that search and rescue operations had been persevering with.

Video and pictures posted on social media by regional administrator Vitaliy Kim confirmed thick plumes of smoke billowing within the sky and a large gap within the constructing.

For the reason that invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, Russian forces have attacked Ukraine’s southern ports together with Kherson, Odesa, Mykolaiv and Mariupol as they attempt to lower Ukraine off from the Black Sea and set up a land hall from Russia to Crimea, the peninsula Russia seized in 2014.

Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Mykolaiv, mentioned the ambiance within the southern port metropolis was “very tense” following the assault.

“You'll be able to see a variety of the home windows of the flats right here and within the surrounding space have been blown out,” Dekker mentioned from the scene of the bombing.

Not less than 18 others had been pulled from the rubble, native emergency companies mentioned, whereas search and rescue operations had been nonetheless ongoing [State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters]

“We arrived right here about an hour after that strike. There was one other air raid siren and other people had been panicking. We noticed rescue staff working away from the positioning, after which all of us went right into a shelter,” she mentioned.

“We spoke to 1 woman who burst into tears, saying ‘I can not cope with this anymore; it’s fixed’.”

“[Ukraine] has held off a floor offensive for weeks however after all, Russia controls the skies and if it’s shelling, from the ocean, from the bottom, [and carrying out] air strikes … that does put floor troops at a drawback,” Dekker mentioned.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “particular army operation” to disarm its neighbour. It denies concentrating on civilians and didn't touch upon the strike on Mykolaiv.

Ukraine and the West say Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked warfare of aggression.