On the night of 20 December, Russia carried out a brutal shelling of Kherson, killing two men and injuring nine other civilians. The attack caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Russian terror against civilians

According to the investigation, the enemy used artillery to hit residential areas of the city. The shelling killed two men aged 60 and 75. Nine people sustained injuries of varying severity.

In addition, enemy strikes damaged private and apartment buildings, power lines and other civilian infrastructure.

Criminal proceedings initiated

Law enforcement officers classified the shelling as a war crime. Criminal proceedings have been opened over the violation of the laws and customs of war.

“Russia is once again demonstrating its barbarism by attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure. We have collected all the necessary evidence for further investigation,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

Response of the Defence Forces

Despite the intensity of the shelling, Ukrainian air defence and defence forces continue to repel enemy attacks. On the night of 20 December, Russian troops also attacked other regions of Ukraine using Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Shahed drones and other types of drones. Most of the targets were successfully destroyed.

The Ukrainian government calls on international partners to increase pressure on Russia and provide additional air defence equipment.

“These attacks are direct evidence of Russia’s war crimes. We must unite to put an end to this terror,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stressed.

The large-scale shelling of Kherson is yet another indication of Russia’s targeted aggression against the civilian population of Ukraine, which continues to heroically resist the enemy.