Ukrainian officials give conflicting versions of Russian train attack


KYIV, May 18 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces said on Wednesday their fighters blew up an armored train carrying Russian soldiers, but an adviser to President Volodimir Zelensky later said the blast hit rails near of the train.

Reuters could not independently verify claims by Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces that the attack took place in the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol.

Territorial Defense Forces said in a Facebook post that the explosion occurred under a wagon carrying Russian soldiers, without providing details on the extent of the damage.

Oleksi Arestovitch, an adviser to Volodimir Zelensky, made contradictory statements a few hours later, explaining that Ukrainian forces had blown up the rails in front of the train.

“The supporters got it, although they didn’t blow up the armored train itself,” he said in a video posted to social media, saying the Russians “got away with it.” good shots”. (Report Tom Balmforth and Ronald Popeski; French version Camille Raynaud)



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