Ukraine says seven killed, including a child, after Russia fires at convoy

Ukraine’s intelligence service accused Russia on Saturday of firing at a convoy that was evacuating women and children from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region, killing seven people including one child.

“After the attack, the occupiers forced the remnants of the column to turn back to Peremoha and are not letting them out of the village,” the intelligence service said in a statement, adding that the total number of wounded was unknown.

“Russians shot a column of women and children while trying to evacuate from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region along an agreed “green” corridor. Seven people died, including one child,” it said.

Reuters was unable immediately to verify the report and Russia offered no immediate comment.

Ukraine has accused Russia of preventing evacuations from conflict zones by not respecting agreed ceasefires and firing at civilian targets.

Russia has denied targeting civilians since the start of the invasion on Feb. 24, and has blamed Ukraine for repeated stumbles in efforts to evacuate people from the worst-hit areas, including the southern port city of Mariupol.

The Russian bombardment, which Moscow calls a special operation, has trapped thousands of people in besieged cities and sent 2.5 million Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier on Saturday that the conflict meant some small Ukrainian towns no longer existed.