An explosion has gone off in Russia-occupied Melitopol, southern Ukraine, the acting “deputy minister” of construction and public utilities have been injured, the Russian Investigative Committee reports.
The name of the official is not disclosed. According to the committee, the improvised explosive device was planted in a rubbish bin near an apartment block and went off when the man exited the building.
The “deputy minister” sustained blast injuries and was rushed to hospital.
Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov noted on Friday that a loud explosion went off in the centre of the city. “We are investigating where exactly the occupants had the misfortune to be smoking,” he wrote.
The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the attempted murder. The investigation is underway, eyewitnesses are being questioned now.
In early May, an assassination attempt was made on the “deputy interior minister” of the Russia-occupied part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region in Melitopol.
Unidentified people planted explosives in front of the official’s house gates. The device exploded as he opened the door. The man was taken to hospital with blast injuries.
On 22 April, an explosion destroyed a train carrying fuel in Melitopol, Fedorov said. The mayor also said that a helicopter and a missile system were blown up in the city in the past few days.
