One civilian killed by Russian shelling in Ukraine’s Luhansk, governor says

Luhansk governor says the region may face a new large offensive by Russian troops

File photo: A man stands next to cars destroyed by shelling in Rubizhne, Luhansk, Ukraine, 24 March 2022 (REUTERS)

One civilian was killed in Russian shelling of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region over the past 24 hours, Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai has said.

He said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that three trains would be offered on Wednesday to residents who wanted to leave the region, which he said was under constant shelling and may face a new large offensive by Russian forces.

Russia has denied targeting civilians since it invaded Ukraine on 24 February and has said Ukrainian and Western allegations of war crimes are fabricated.

Ukraine’s state railway company said in a separate statement on Wednesday that a train station in central Ukraine had been shelled overnight.

Ukraine has been warning that Russia plans intensified attacks in the country’s east and south after withdrawing its troops from areas to the north of the capital, Kyiv.

The US said last week that Moscow probably planned to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers in eastern Ukraine.

Reuters