KYIV: Russian strikes on Ukraine’s southern Kherson region killed at least 16 people on Wednesday, local prosecutors said, as authorities announced a curfew in the main city of Kherson starting Friday.
The strikes came as Ukraine prepared for a spring offensive.
The Kherson city — from which Russian troops withdrew last November — lies near the frontline in Ukraine.
Office of the Kherson region prosecutor said in a statement, “A massive attack by Russian forces in the Kherson region: death toll rises to 16.”
It said 12 victims were killed in the city of Kherson and that “around 22 civilians” were wounded.
“On the morning of May 3, Russian troops began the massive shelling of the city of Kherson and the region’s settlements,” the prosecutors said.
Officials earlier said three people were killed in a strike on Kherson’s only working hypermarket.
The prosecutors said three employees of a “power engineering team” were killed by shelling between Stepanivka and Muzykivka.
Ukraine imposes curfew in Kherson
Officials also announced Wednesday that Kherson would be under curfew for 58 hours from Friday.
The Ukrainian government has used long curfews in the past to facilitate arms and troop movements.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Kherson’s regional military administration, said the curfew would last from Friday until Monday.
“During these 58 long hours, it is forbidden to move on the city streets.
Kherson city will also be closed for entry and exit,” Kherson’s regional military administration head, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on Telegram.
He asked residents to stock food items and medicine and said people could go out for short walks near their homes or visit shops but should always carry identity documents with them.
The curfew announcement came as Ukrainian officials said three people were killed and five wounded in a Russian strike on Wednesday on Kherson’s only working hypermarket.
Kherson was captured by Russian forces last year at the start of the invasion and maintained their occupation until November 2022.
Russian troops withdrew from the city, crossing to the eastern side of the Dnipro River, which now depicts part of the frontline in southern Ukraine.
