An attack on a frontline civilian convoy killed at least 25 people in southern Ukraine on Friday, September 30, just hours before Moscow was due to annex four occupied Ukrainian regions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to formally annex Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Lugansk, which his forces mostly control, at a grand Kremlin ceremony later on Friday. He has warned he could use nuclear weapons to retain control of the territory as the United States leads Western allies in vowing "never" to recognize the regions as anything other than part of Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the annexations would be formalised at an event during which Mr. Putin would deliver a "major" speech.
But early on Friday, an attack in Zaporizhzhia in the south, killed at least 25 people as civilians were preparing to leave to pick up relatives, Ukrainian officials said.
Both sides trade blame
"Twenty-five killed and about 50 wounded in an attack by the Russian military on a humanitarian convoy in Zaporizhzhia. Investigation launched," said the prosecutor general's office on Telegram. Bodies of people wearing civilian clothes were left on the ground after the attack and windows of cars were blown out, an Agence France Presse photographer reported.
"Only complete terrorists could do this," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Bloodthirsty scum! You will definitely answer," he added.
"The enemy launched rockets on a civilian convoy leaving the city center," said Zaporizhzhia governor Oleksandr Starukh. "Rescuers, medics – all relevant services are currently working at the site," he added.
But pro-Kremlin regional chief Vladimir Rogov accused Ukrainian troops of carrying out a "terrorist act". "The regime in Kyiv is trying to portray what happened as shelling by Russian troops, resorting to a heinous provocation," he said on social media.
The attack comes as Moscow prepared to annex four regions into Russia after an internationally criticized, gunpoint referendum vote as part of its invasion of Ukraine. Those regions include areas near Zaporizhzhia, but not the city itself, which remains in Ukrainian hands.