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Yermak: Priest killed in Russian shelling of Kherson Oblast

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Yermak: Priest killed in Russian shelling of Kherson Oblast
The aftermath of a Russian artillery attack on the village of Bilozerka, Ukraine's Kherson Oblast, on June 13, 2023. (Presidential Office head Andrii Yermak/Telegram)

Russian troops shelled the village of Bilozerka in Kherson Oblast on June 13, hitting a church's yard and killing a priest, reported Presidential Office head Andrii Yermak.

The attack also injured a 76-year-old woman, Yermak said on Telegram. The damages include four residential buildings, a post office, administrative buildings, the central square, and critical infrastructure facilities.

The city of Kherson and other settlements in the oblast on the Dnipro River's west bank, such as Bilozerka, have been continuously subjected to Russian shelling since they were liberated by Ukrainian forces in November 2022.

Russian forces were pushed to the river's east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.

After Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant's dam on June 6, Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast has also suffered massive floods and a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

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Dinara Khalilova

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Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.

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