Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to set wheat fields along Kherson border on fire

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-backed military-civilian administration, has claimed that Ukraine has been making attempts to set fire to wheat fields along the border in Kherson region and termed it a "crime", TASS reported. He claimed that the Ukrainian armed forces intend to show it as the action of Moscow's troops. He called attempts of Ukraine to burn wheat fields a "provocation".

On 12th July, Kirill Stremousov asserted that the Kherson region has been defending itself from Ukraine and the "collective West, namely America".

He accused Ukrainian armed forces of carrying out an attack on Novaya Kakhovka on 11th July, as per TASS. He said that the attack by Ukrainian forces on Novaya Kakhovka on 11th July involved US-made weapons and targeted civilian infrastructure in the region. He claimed that the attack by Ukrainian forces in Novaya Kakhovka damaged buildings and mineral fertiliser depots. The city authorities claimed that at least 7 people were killed and around 60 people were injured in the attack. 

Kirill Stremousov claims Ukraine ready to attack civilians

Stremousov accused the US of trying to develop conditions where the people of Kharkiv find themselves "on the frontline". He claimed that Ukrainian forces are ready to conduct an attack on civilians and accused Kyiv of making similar attacks in Donbass for eight years.

He accused Ukrainian armed forces of attacking settlements in Kherson after they lost control over the region. Earlier on June 29, Kirill Stremousov said that authorities have started "making preparations for a referendum on accession to Russia," TASS reported. The Russian Defence Ministry in March said that forces of Moscow had fully captured the Kherson region and a military-civilian administration was set up in April.

Ukraine claims to have destroyed Russian ammunition depot

Meanwhile, Ukraine said that its armed forces had destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in Russian-held Nova Kakhovka, according to AP. The Ukrainian military’s southern command said that the rocket strike carried out overnight targeted the ammunition depot in Nova Kakhovka.

The attack comes as Ukraine in recent days has indicated that it has been planning to launch a counteroffensive to take control over its territories that have been captured by Russian forces. The attack of Ukrainian forces comes amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine which has lasted for more than 130 days.

Image: AP

Inputs from AP