The latest murder attempt on a pro-Moscow official resulted in the injury of the Russian commandant of an occupied Ukrainian city on Tuesday, as a result of a large car bomb explosion.
Footage from the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk depicted the smoking wreckage of a car alleged to belong to Bardin Artem Igorevich, the military commander designated by Moscow to manage the city and its environs.
The explosion shook a tree-lined city-center street near the administration building.
According to reports, Igorevich was brought to the hospital and is in critical condition.
In the aftermath of the explosion, a gunfight ensued, with cameras capturing the sound of gunfire as the car’s smoke ascended above the city’s skyline.
The explosion occurred as Kyiv reported that Moscow’s death toll in the battle has surpassed 50,000, and as Ukraine’s military gained their first successes against Vladimir Putin’s invading forces.
Bardin is the most recent official installed by Russian forces in Moscow-controlled areas of Ukraine to be injured or murdered by hostile forces.
Although Kyiv has not openly claimed credit for these attacks, it is assumed that pro-Ukraine operators in controlled territories are carrying them out.
On his Telegram channel, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian administration of the occupied Zaporizhia region, described the incident as a terrorist attack.
He wrote that three further vehicles were damaged in the explosion.
Tuesday, a massive vehicle bomb explosion reportedly injured the Russian commandant of an occupied Ukrainian city. Pictured: A burned-out vehicle is visible on a street in Berdyansk, an eastern Ukrainian city.
“As a result of the explosion, the city commandant was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Rogov wrote that doctors provide him with the appropriate medical attention.
‘Three private vehicles were also damaged by the explosion, but fortunately no one was inside.
The situation is being described in full,’ he continued.
Rogov stated to the Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, “Terrorists of the Zelensky government are responsible for the terrorist attack and the attempt on the commandant of Berdyansk’s life.” He stated that an investigation has been initiated.
Since Putin’s forces conquered the eastern Ukrainian area of Donbas and huge portions of the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, Russia’s progress into its neighbor’s territory has been virtually halted for months.
In recent months, intense fighting has occurred in the east of Ukraine, with Kyiv’s forces beginning to launch a counterattack against the invaders in some places.
As he did in Crimea in 2014, experts believe Putin intends to stage sham referendums in the occupied regions as a precursor to a full annexation.
Recent killings of pro-Russian officials are viewed as evidence that pro-Ukrainian saboteurs are operating within Russian-held territory, perhaps delaying plans to make the eastern portion of Ukraine an extension of Russian sovereignty.
A pro-Russian police head in the district was discovered hanging last month.
Video from Berdyansk (above) depicted the smoking wreckage of a car reportedly belonging to Bardin Artem Igorevich, the military commander designated by Moscow to manage the city and surrounding territory.
The explosion shook a city-center thoroughfare near the government building. According to reports, Igorevich was brought to the hospital and is in critical condition.
According to reports, Andrei Ryzhkov served as a border guard in Ukraine before switching sides.
He was appointed chief of police by the occupying Kremlin forces.
Odessa official Sergei Bratchuk stated that Ryzhkov was discovered hanging.
The exact circumstances surrounding his execution are unknown but are being investigated by the Russian occupying forces.
Ivan Sushko, 40, another regional administrator in the Zaporizhzhia district, was killed by a car bomb a week earlier.
Both men were from Mykhailivka, which is near to Berdyansk and in the same location as the nuclear power facility in Zaporizhzhia that is now under siege by Russian forces.
Alexander Kolesnikov, the deputy chief of traffic police in Berdyansk, was also killed in a car bombing.
Image shows smoke coming from the burning vehicle in Berdyansk. The vehicle was detonated close to the city government building.
Tuesday’s explosion took occurred in the eastern Ukrainian city of Berdyansk, depicted on this map. In recent months, intense fighting has occurred in the east of Ukraine, with Kyiv’s forces beginning to launch a counterattack against the invaders in some places.
The trends show that Putin’s forces are struggling to maintain control over previously captured territory.
The explosion at Berdyansk occurred as the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that between 24 February and 6 September, Russia had lost around 50,150 men – the first time the estimate above 50,000.
According to Ukraine’s military, Russia has also lost tens of thousands of soldiers, 2,077 tanks, 4,484 armoured combat vehicles, 1,179 artillery units, 296 multiple launch rocket systems, 156 air defence systems, 236 warplanes, 207 helicopters, 876 drones, 209 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,305 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 109 units of special equipment.
Russia has asserted that its deaths have been significantly lower, but it provides rare updates on the most recent numbers.
Ukraine has claimed its initial successes in a counteroffensive against the Russian army in the south, stating that it has regained a number of regions and destroyed many objectives.