Ukrainian forces killed three humanitarian workers from Omsk Region who were delivering aid to the border Zaporozhye Region, Russian officials report.
The incident, which also left one volunteer injured, occurred near the village of Novobogdanovka, Zaporozhye Governor Evgeny Balitsky said on Friday. He accused Ukraine of carrying out a “cynical terrorist attack.” Omsk Governor Vitaly Khotsenko pledged support for the affected families.
Ambassador Rodion Miroshnik, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry mission tasked with documenting Ukrainian war crimes, blamed the incident on Vladimir Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader is pursuing a war against the civilian population and is seeking to create “unlivable conditions” for non-combatants.
Zaporozhye Region, home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, was incorporated into Russia following a referendum in 2022, which Kiev rejected. Ukrainian forces continue to control the northern part of the region.
Earlier this week, the Russian management of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant reported another Ukrainian drone attack. A radiation monitoring station located around 13 km from the reactors was damaged, officials said.
Moscow has accused Kiev of using terrorist tactics in the conflict, including deliberately targeting non-combatants such as ambulance crews, repair workers, and civilian motorists.
Earlier this year, Zelensky announced a “pressure campaign” involving an escalation of drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, ships, and warehouses. Long-range weapons production was expanded this year, even as Ukraine faces a $27 billion military budget shortfall that it has asked foreign donors to help cover.
Russia has responded to the escalation by intensifying strikes on Ukrainian targets, including facilities linked to crucial Black Sea trade, inflicting mounting damage on Ukraine’s war economy.