Tragic Drone Assault: Seven Lives Lost in Oleshky Market Attack, Claims Kremlin Official

Ukrainian drone assaults on a marketplace in the occupied town of Oleshky, located in the southern Kherson region of Ukraine, resulted in the deaths of seven individuals on Thursday, according to an official appointed by Moscow.

«The Ukrainian Armed Forces executed a significant strike using FPV drones against civilians,» stated Vladimir Saldo, the Kremlin-installed leader of the partially occupied Kherson region. «At least seven people have lost their lives, and over 20 have sustained injuries.»

Saldo shared an image showing what seemed to be a body situated between two buildings, one of which exhibited damage. He also released a video depicting smoke ascending from the marketplace following the drone attack, alleging it was used to «eliminate the survivors.»

Oleshky is situated near the left bank of the Dnipro River, where Russian troops have maintained a presence since their initial occupation of the area in early 2022.

No immediate response from Ukraine was available. Additionally, Russia’s Defense Ministry has not issued any remarks regarding the drone strikes.

In a separate development, a nighttime Russian aerial bombardment resulted in the deaths of at least two people and injuries to 15 others in a residential area of Odesa, as reported by Ukrainian emergency services early Thursday.

These incidents occurred a day after the U.S. and Ukraine finalized a minerals agreement, which was characterized by Donald Trump’s administration as a new type of U.S. assistance for Kyiv.

Reporting by AFP contributed to this coverage.