An explosion was heard Saturday morning in the suburbs of the eastern city of Luhansk, which is occupied by Russian forces and is a significant hub for Moscow’s invasion, one day after the city was struck by two missiles.
The explosion happened around 10 a.m. local time in the village of Yubileiny, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.
“Services are already working on the site. The circumstances of the incident and information on the victims are being clarified,” said Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-backed acting head of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic.
Eyewitnesses said that windows were broken in houses and a tall plume of smoke was seen rising from the scene.
Later on Saturday, a Russian-backed official in the region said two people were hospitalized.
“This morning missiles hit the village of Yuvileiny in the Artemivsky district of the city,” Darya Lantratova, an official for the Luhansk People’s Republic, said on Telegram.
Some context: On Friday, Luhansk was struck by two missiles, injuring six children, Russian-backed authorities said.
The city has rarely come under attack by Ukrainian forces since the Russian invasion.
Some Russian bloggers, without providing evidence, suggested Ukraine used cruise missiles recently provided by the UK. But Kyiv also has Ukrainian-made Grom missiles, which have the range to hit Luhansk.
