In a series of attacks on September 13, 2024, Russian forces targeted multiple regions in Ukraine, resulting in the loss of five civilian lives. The incidents, reported by regional officials, highlight the ongoing conflict that has persisted for over two and a half years.
In the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, one of the four territories Russia claimed to have annexed in September 2022, governor Ivan Fedorov reported a deadly attack on an agricultural enterprise in Huliaipole. This historic town, known as the birthplace of Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary Nestor Makhno, suffered significant losses.
"All the dead are employees of the enterprise."
The targeting of agricultural facilities has been a recurring issue throughout the conflict, severely impacting Ukraine's crucial farming sector.
In the southern Kherson region, which experienced liberation by Ukrainian forces in November 2022 after a brief Russian occupation, another life was lost. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin confirmed the death of a 60-year-old man who succumbed to severe injuries in a hospital following the attack.
The eastern Kharkiv region, home to Ukraine's second-largest city and a major target in the early stages of the invasion, also came under fire. Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that Russian forces employed the advanced Tornado-S multiple rocket launch system to strike the village of Pisky-Radkivski. The attack claimed the life of a 72-year-old woman and left two other civilians hospitalized.
The use of sophisticated weaponry like the Tornado-S, introduced in 2012, demonstrates the escalating nature of the conflict. These multiple rocket launch systems have caused widespread destruction throughout the war.
It's worth noting that Reuters, one of the world's largest news agencies known for its commitment to accuracy, could not independently verify the details of these attacks. This challenge in information verification has been a persistent issue for international media covering the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The United Nations has consistently called for the protection of civilians in this prolonged war. The targeting of civilian infrastructure and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, have been widely condemned by the international community as potential war crimes.
As the conflict continues, regional governors in Ukraine play a crucial role in disseminating information about attacks and casualties, often utilizing platforms like the Telegram messaging app, which has become an essential communication tool during the war.