Support The Moscow Times!

Russia, Ukraine Trade Blame for Shootings in Kherson

Kherson, Russian-occupied Ukraine. Maxim Tishchenko/TASS

Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of provoking fighting in Kherson, after a video showed clashes in the center of the occupied Ukrainian city the previous evening. 

The Ukrainian army is leading a counter-offensive to retake the southern city of Kherson, which was seized by the Russian army in the first weeks of the invasion.  

Russian official media Vesti-Crimea broadcast a video on Saturday evening showing an exchange of fire around two armored vehicles near Kherson train station.

The Russian-installed administration of Kherson said later in the day it had "destroyed" a group of attackers.

"There was a clash in the center of Kherson between sections of the Russian armed forces patrolling the streets of the city and an unidentified group of people," the administration said on Telegram.

On Sunday morning, Ukrainian southern army command spokeswoman Natalia Gumeniuk said, "Yesterday's shootings and explosions in Kherson are provocations by the occupiers."

Gumeniuk added she had previously "warned that provocations are planned in the south between Sept. 17 and 20... to damage the image of the armed forces of Ukraine". 

Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak blamed the shootings on "growing tensions" between different pro-Moscow factions preparing to flee amid news of the Ukrainian army's advances.

Kirill Stremousov, a pro-Moscow official in Kherson, said the city was "calm" on Sunday morning.

Kyiv is "trying to attack but without any results," he said.

"We won't say that everything is smooth and there is no problem in the Kherson region... [but] "everything will be fine."

There have been a series of targeted attacks against pro-Russian officials in Kherson and in other occupied areas in recent weeks.  

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more