8 civilians killed in Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine: Officials

Ukraine confirmed on Monday evening that Kreminna had fallen into the hands of Russian forces.

Kyiv:

Russian attacks on Monday killed at least eight civilians in the troubled eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, local officials said.

Lugansk regional governor Sergei Gede said on Telegram that four people had died trying to flee the city of Kremina, which Russian forces had captured earlier on Monday.

“Several people tried to escape and the car was shot by the orcs (Russian forces). Four people died instantly,” he said, adding that another person was injured.

According to regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko, four other civilians were killed in Russian bombing in the neighboring region of Donetsk, about 20 kilometers (12 mi) east of Kremina.

“Two in Torske, one in Chandrilov and one in Razdolne. Five others were injured,” he said on Telegram.

Russia has refocused its military efforts on Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region after withdrawing troops from the region around the capital Kyiv.

The Secretary of the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksey Danilov, on Monday confirmed the Russian attack in the east.

“With almost the entire front line in the area of ​​Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkiv regions, the invaders tried to break through our defenses,” he said.

“Luckily, our army is catching on.”

Gede confirmed on Monday evening that Kreminna had fallen into the hands of Russian forces.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, three people were killed and 15 wounded after Russian shelling, according to regional governor Oleg Sinegubov.

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