Russian attack leaves 23 dead in civilian convoy in Ukraine: Governor

The targeted humanitarian convoy planned to travel to the Russian-occupied territory to pick up relatives and take them to a safe place, says the Zaporizhzhia regional governor.

A Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia has killed at least 23 people and wounded dozens more, a Ukrainian official said.

A Russian official blamed Ukrainian forces for the deadly attack.

Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Oleksandr Starukh made the announcement in an online statement on Friday. He said there were at least 28 wounded when Russian forces attacked a humanitarian convoy headed for Russian-occupied territory.

He posted images of burned vehicles and bodies lying on the road.

“So far we know of 23 dead and 28 injured. All civilians, local people. Burn the fucking Russians in hell,” Oleksandr Starukh wrote on Telegram.

Starukh said that the members of the convoy planned to travel to the Russian-occupied territory to pick up their relatives and then take them to safety. He said rescuers were at the scene of the attack.

It comes as Moscow prepares to annex four regions to Russia after an internationally criticized referendum as part of its invasion of Ukraine. Those regions include areas near Zaporizhzhia, but not the city itself, which remains in Ukrainian hands.