Russian missile attack injures seven in Mykolaiv, Ukraine says

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(Reuters) -A Russian missile strike on the city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine injured at least seven people and destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and civilian infrastructure buildings, the regional governor said on Sunday.

Two of the injured were hospitalised as a result of the late Saturday attack, Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim said on the Telegram messaging app.

Kim posted photos showing single residential buildings almost destroyed, with building debris spread around. He said 23 private homes, 12 apartment buildings and a post office were damaged.

Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Russia about the attack. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Moscow launched with a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine’s air force said on Telegram that Russia had launched 76 attack drones and seven missiles targeting Ukraine overnight, striking eight locations throughout Ukraine. Ukraine’s air defence units destroyed 60 of the drones and one missile, it said.

In the early days of the war, the Mykolaiv region stood on the front lines, facing frequent artillery strikes and aerial attacks. Even after Russian forces were pushed back in late 2022, drones and missiles have remained a constant danger to communities.

In the front-line regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, at least three people were killed and more than 12 injured as a result of Russia’s attacks over the 24 hours into Sunday morning, regional governors said.

Russia also launched a short-lived missile attack on Kyiv overnight, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard)