Russian shelling has killed 32 in Kherson region since liberation – police

(Reuters) – At least 32 people in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson have been killed by Russian shelling since pro-Moscow forces pulled out two weeks ago, the head of Ukraine’s police said on Saturday.

Russian forces completed their withdrawal from the city of Kherson on Nov. 11 after an almost nine-month occupation. They are now positioned on the eastern bank of the Dnipro, from where they have been shelling the city regularly.

“Daily Russian shelling is destroying the city and killing peaceful local residents. In all, Russia has killed 32 civilians in the Kherson region since the deoccupation,” National Police chief Ihor Klymenko said in a Facebook post.

“Many people are evacuating to seek refuge in calmer regions of the country. But many residents remain in their homes, and we need to provide them with the maximum possible security,” he continued, saying police were once again on duty in the region.

Electricity in the city has been restored, a senior presidential aide said on earlier on Saturday.

Last week a senior official said Ukraine would soon begin evacuating people who want to leave the region.

Klymenko also said investigators had recorded a total of 578 of what he described as war crimes committed by Russian troops and their accomplices in the region. Moscow routinely dismisses allegations its forces have abused civilians.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Daniel Wallis)