Kyiv, May 18 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces said on Wednesday that its fighters had blown up an armored train carrying Russian troops, but an adviser to President Vladimir Zelinsky later said the attack was limited to rails near the train.
Reuters could not independently verify the statement of the defense forces, published on Facebook, that they carried out the attack in the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol.
The city is located in the Zaporozhye region and in the belt of southern Ukrainian land, which was occupied by Russian forces after their invasion on February 24.
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The Defense Forces, the reservist branch of Ukraine’s armed forces, said in an online publication that explosives had detonated under a railway car carrying military personnel. He did not specify the amount of damage.
But hours later, presidential adviser Alexei Arestovich gave a conflicting opinion, saying Ukrainian forces had blown up the rails in front of the train.
“The guerrillas received it, although they did not blow up the armored train itself,” he said in a video posted on social media, saying the Russians “got off slightly.”
Arestovic said the incident showed the guerrilla movement was actively upsetting Russian forces.
According to Ukrainian news, guerrillas are active in Melitopol. The mayor was taken away by Russian troops for several days in March before being released.
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Report by Tom Balmfort and Ronald Popeschi; Edited by Stephen Coates
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