At least one person has been killed by shelling allegedly carried out by Russian forces on an aid distribution point in the Ukrainian region of Zaporiyia, according to local authorities, who have claimed that it was a «direct hit» against this enclave.
The regional governor, Oleksandr Starukh, explained on his Telegram account that the incident took place in the town of Orekhov and identified the victim as a social worker. In addition, two other women were injured.
The delivery was taking place on the premises of a school and, according to Starukh, the number of victims «could have been much higher». The Ukrainian authorities are advising the population to avoid crowds, also at points like this where they receive essential aid.
The UN Office for Human Rights estimates that some 6,500 civilians have died since Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to launch the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. The toll, a mere approximation as official data is not available for all areas, also includes 415 children.
The Ukrainian government, which is keeping its own count, estimates that eight civilians died on Monday alone.