Russia shells regional HQ in Kherson central square, Ukraine says
[1/2]Smoke and debris rises as the Kherson Regional State Administration building is hit by Russian shelling amid the ongoing invasion in Kherson, Ukraine in this still image from video released December 14, 2022. Video obtained by REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
KYIV, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Russian forces firing multiple rocket launchers hit the regional administration building on the central square of the recently liberated southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Wednesday, a senior Ukrainian official.
Ukraine recaptured Kherson from Russian forces on Nov. 11, prompting days of celebrations on the square that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited days later to hail the end of the Russian occupation.
Russian forces have been shelling Kherson from the opposite side of the Dnipro River since leaving the city and withdrawing from the western bank of the river.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskiy's office, said two floors of the building had been damaged, but that no one was reported hurt.
He posted images on the Telegram messaging app showing debris by the building and the ceiling of a corridor inside that had collapsed, bringing down rubble. Some windows appeared to have been smashed, though the structure of the building looked intact.
An unconfirmed video circulating on Telegram showed a huge plume of smoke pouring up from the top of the administration building.
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Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Dan Peleschuk; editing by Timothy Heritage
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