Power, water and internet cut off after explosions in Melitopol – media

Explosions were heard in occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on Sunday. The media reported strikes at the airfield and in the area of the Russian-occupied Avtokolorlyt factory (a former automotive industry enterprise), where the Russians have set up military bases. The Russians claimed to have shot down all the missiles.

Source: RIA Pivden (South, or RIA Melitopol) media outlet; Russian-appointed official of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Vladimir Rogov; Russian-appointed puppet "governor" of the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Yevgeny Balitsky

Details: As RIA Pivden reports, the first explosion was heard around 14:00, and it was well heard on the southern outskirts of the city. Later, powerful explosions occurred at the airfield and in the Avtokolorlyt area, where the Russians have set up military bases and storage points.

Thick smoke rose over the city in three locations at once. "It is likely that at least three missiles hit the target," the media outlet writes. Melitopol residents also reported three explosions in the Melitopol district, near the village of Pryvilne.

The explosions in the temporarily occupied city of Melitopol were later reported by Vladimir Rogov, the self-proclaimed mayor of the city, who is suspected of treason. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile attack on this city in Zaporizhzhia Oblast with five HIMARS missiles," Rogov wrote, claiming that all five missiles were shot down by air defence, and a fire started in the places where the debris fell. Rogov reported a second "powerful explosion" in the city around 17:30.

"A pillar of smoke is rising on the northern outskirts of the city again. Preliminary reports suggest another missile strike," he wrote. RIA Pivden reported that almost all districts of Melitopol were cut off from electricity on Sunday evening.

There was no water supply and communication interruptions, with almost all customers losing their internet connection. Yevgeny Balitsky, the so-called "governor" of the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, said that hospitals were switched to backup power, mobile and internet connections may be interrupted, and some base stations were switched to backup power sources. The Russian authorities reported that they had managed to restore electricity supply in some areas, but residents wrote that after the power supply was restored, the lights went out again, RIA Pivden reported.

Traffic lights are not working in the city, and shops have closed ahead of usual working hours. The situation is the same in Melitopol district. Most villages there also have no electricity or water supply, and mobile phone service has disappeared.

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