KHERSON, August 22. /TASS/. At least 15 civilians were hurt in the Kherson region after Ukrainian troops struck the Antonovka Bridge across the Dnieper River, using HIMARS rocket systems, a spokesman for the local emergencies services told TASS on Monday.
"At about 13:00 on August 22, Ukrainian troops delivered a strike from US-made HIMARS rocket systems at the Antonovka Bridge to break down repair works. At least 15 people (civilian employees of the local repair team) were hurt as a result of Ukraine’s aggression. There were no casualties among people providing ferryboat services and those on the ferry," he said.
According to the spokesman, Ukraine’s reconnaissance services regularly receive photos from USD satellites and were aware that there were only civilians on the site. "Despite this, they chose daytime for the attack, when repairmen were working on the site and when the ferry line was operating," he added.
The Antonovka Bridge is the sole motorway link between Kherson on the western bank of the Dnieper River and the part of the Kherson Region situated on the opposite bank. The Ukrainian military repeatedly shell the bridge by US-made HIMARS rocket systems, damaging the motorway ferry. The bridge was attacked on July 19, 20, 21, 27, and 29, and on August 4, 8, and 22. According to the Kherson region authorities most of the rockets were intercepted by air defense systems and no critical damage has been done to the bridge. However, as a result of attacks, the bridge’s carrying capacity has dropped from 100 tonnes to five.
It was initially planned to resume motor traffic along the bridge from August 10 but it came under shelling again in early August. Although the bridge was almost intact, the equipment of repair workers was damaged and the opening of the bridge was postponed.
The Russian defense ministry said in mid-March that the Kherson region was under the control of Russian forces. A military-civilians administration was formed in late April.