Russia claims strikes on Ukrainian targets in Kherson region

Russia claims to have struck Ukrainian targets in Kherson using BM-21 rocket systems.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that its forces had carried out strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Kherson region. According to the ministry, the attacks targeted areas on the right bank of the Dnipro River, utilizing BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher systems. The claims have not been independently verified, and Ukraine has not commented on the alleged strikes.

Kherson has remained a critical battleground since the onset of the war, given its strategic location in southern Ukraine. Control over the region directly influences supply routes and access to the Black Sea, making it a focal point of military operations for both Russian and Ukrainian forces.

The conflict, which began on February 24, 2022, with Russia's so-called "special military operation," has resulted in widespread devastation across Ukraine. Russia justifies its actions by claiming it is protecting Russian-speaking populations in eastern Ukraine, a narrative rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies as baseless and illegal.

In recent months, Ukraine's military has conducted counteroffensives in the south, reclaiming portions of the Kherson region that had been under Russian occupation. Despite these gains, the region continues to witness frequent shelling, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.