Kyiv on Wednesday has blamed Moscow for rocket strikes which have resulted in killing around 13 civilians in regions near a Russian-held power plant, where continued action has spiked fears of nuclear disaster.
The rocket strikes, which took place overnight in the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine resulted in injuring over 11 people, with five reported to be in a severe condition.
While imploring residents to shelter when they hear air raid sirens, regional governor Valentin Reznichenko stated via Telegram that, “It was a terrible night”
In information shared via Telegram, he said, “I’m asking and begging you. Don’t let the Russians kill you.” He further added that the Moscow military had fired around 80 rockets at the area.
Most of the casualties have been reported in the town of Marganets, just around the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is Europe’s biggest.
Meanwhile, regional council head Mykola Lukashuk added that the attack had hit a local power line, leaving thousands of people without electricity.
At the same time, Russia and Moscow have blamed each other of recent strikes around the plant itself.
Kyiv asserted that Russia has stationed over hundreds of military men and stored ammunition at the plant.
The recent tensions have taken it back to the times of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in then Soviet Ukraine, which has claimed hundreds of lives and spread radioactive contamination over Europe.
The plant was seized by the Russian army on March 4 after a battle with Ukrainian forces.