Pro-Russian and Ukrainian authorities cross accusations after bomb exploded at a market in Melitopol

Pro-Russian authorities in the Ukrainian region of Zaporiyia and Ukrainian authorities have exchanged accusations Thursday after a bomb explosion in a market in the city of Melitopol resulted in several civilian casualties, amid the war unleashed in February.

The president of the movement We Are United with Russia, Vladimir Rogov, said that at least six people were injured and spoke of a “terrorist attack”, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS, while the mayor of the city when it was under Ukrainian control, Ivan Fedorov, reported three dead and accused “occupiers” of what happened.

“The occupiers have staged a terrorist attack in a crowded place to accuse the Ukrainian authorities of terrorism on the eve of the pseudo-referendum,” criticized Fedorov, referring to the vote that will start tomorrow in Zapiriyia, Kherson, Donetsk and Lugansk on the possible accession to Russia of these occupied areas.

“Fear, terror and elimination of opponents are three components that Russia shows all the time in the occupied territories. Before the pseudo-referendum, the purge among its own is intensifying,” he said, before noting that the three dead are “soldiers.” “We are clarifying the information about civilians,” he added.

In this regard, Fedorov has stated that “everyone must understand that this will be the future with the terrorist country.” “Neither pseudo-referendums nor the claims of terrorists will change our path. We will manage to expel the occupants from our territories and return peace to our home,” he reiterated.