Two elderly civilians were killed Sunday in a Russian missile attack on Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, according to a local official.
In a Telegram post Yurii Malashko, head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, said a 77-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman died in the attack on the village of Stepne.
A 64-year-old woman was also injured in the attack, he added.
Meanwhile, in nearby Kherson, several civilians were injured in Russian shelling early Monday, according to the head of the region's military administration.
The report comes a day after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern city.
Russian "resistance": Ukraine’s highly-anticipated counteroffensive has been underway for weeks with fighting focused along the eastern and southern fronts. Kyiv launched the campaign in the hope of recapturing territory seized by Russia. But so far, any gains have been small and painfully fought for.
On Monday, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar noted that Kyiv's forces are "facing very serious enemy resistance" in the south.
"If we add up the shellings in the south and in the east over the past week, it will be about 10,000 attacks. And this is continuous artillery and mortar fire from the enemy," Maliar said. "Our Armed Forces face very serious obstacles on their way. Indeed, the offensive itself is extremely difficult."
