Car explosion reported outside TV company building in Russia-occupied Melitopol, at least five people injured

A car has blown up outside the building of TV company ZaTV in Russia-occupied city of Melitopol, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reports.

An occupation administration representative of the Zaporizhzhia region Vladimir Rogov tells RIA Novosti that a terrorist attack occurred, a homemade explosive device was blown up.

The explosion was also confirmed by Ivan Fedorov, Ukrainian head of the city of Melitopol. “Melitopol’s collaborators smoked unsuccessfully near the department of the Rashist FSB (Rashism, or Russian fascism, is a term used to describe the political ideology of the current Russian government - translator’s note), which is located in the building of the Melitopol Gauleiter [Russia-appointed governor of the Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny] Balitsky. According to preliminary data, a car blew up near the building locating one of the Kremlin propagandist headquarters,” he writes in a Telegram post.

According to reports, five people were injured, including the employees of the TV company, deputy chairman of the Mass Media Civic Chamber of Russia Alexander Malkevich says. One person was hospitalised, the “authorities” report.

Malkevich also claims that the power of the explosion amounted to 1.5-2 kilograms of TNT. 

“The blast wave broke windows and interior doors on several floors. Furthermore, the nearby residential buildings and a car passing by during the moment of the explosion were damaged,” the Russia-appointed city “administration” reports.

The “authorities” also claim that the TV channel and radio continue broadcasting.

Firemen and other emergency services are operating on the site.