Shelling occurred within the Russian-controlled metropolis of Enerhodar close to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant on Sunday night time, Russian and Ukrainian officers mentioned — with either side blaming the opposite for the assaults.

Dmytro Orlov, the Ukrainian mayor of Enerhodar, mentioned the shelling befell within the third and fifth micro districts of town about 5.5 kilometers (3.four miles) from the nuclear plant.

The shelling set automobiles on fireplace and a residential constructing “suffered a direct hit,” he mentioned.

Yevhen Balytskyi, head of the Russian-backed Zaporizhzhia area civil-military administration, mentioned 9 individuals have been injured in three focused hits on residential buildings.

Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-appointed council in occupied elements of Zaporizhzhia, blamed the assault on “Zelensky militants.”

The shelling comes simply days earlier than a group of worldwide specialists with the United Nations nuclear watchdog is anticipated to go to the plant to assist guarantee nuclear security and safety on the web site.

Kyiv’s response: Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President’s Workplace, condemned the assaults.

Some context: Kyiv and Moscow have made a barrage of accusations towards one another about safety and navy motion at and across the Zaporizhzhia energy plant, the largest nuclear advanced in Europe. However the lack of unbiased entry to the plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March, makes it inconceivable to confirm what is occurring there.

Over the previous month, quite a lot of rockets and shells have landed on the territory of the plant, in accordance with satellite tv for pc imagery analyzed by CNN. CNN is unable to confirm what strikes occurred, nor who was accountable.