One of the wealthiest businessmen in Ukraine was slain beside his wife after "massive" Russian bombardment on the city of Mykolaiv in the south.
According to Ukrainian media, Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, and his wife Raisa perished after a missile struck their home overnight.
Nibulon, a company engaged in exporting grains, was owned by Mr. Vadatursky. Additionally, he has been recognized as a "Hero of Ukraine."
Oleksandr Senkevych, the mayor of Mykolaiv, claimed that it was likely the biggest Russian shelling of the city to date.
In addition to dwellings, there was damage to a hotel, a sports complex, two schools, and a gas station.
Mykolaiv, which is frequently attacked, is located on the major road to Odesa, Ukraine's largest port.
Mr. Vadatursky "did a lot for the Mykolaiv area, a lot for Ukraine," according to the region's chairman Vitaliy Kim.
He remarked on Telegram that "his contribution to the growth of the agricultural and shipbuilding industries, the development of the region, is significant."
Nibulon has constructed many grain export infrastructure projects, including storage facilities.
Major exporters of wheat and other crops, Ukraine and Russia have seen their prices surge due to the war-related interruption of their shipments.
A deal between the two nations, mediated by the UN and agreed last week in Turkey, aims to ease the food situation. But because of stringent security checks, Ukrainian exports are anticipated to be delayed.
What volume of food is trapped in Ukraine?
Russian military are allegedly grabbing grain from farms on seized area and shipping it through Crimea, according to Ukraine. Russia disputes the assertions.
Russian Navy Day: A Blow
Russia has postponed Navy Day celebrations in occupied Crimea in the meanwhile.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol, cited a purported drone strike by the Ukrainian military on the command center of the Black Sea Fleet as the cause. Sevastopol has historically served as the fleet's home port.
Serhiy Bratchuk, a top Ukrainian official, characterized the Russian story as a "provocation," nevertheless.
"Our Crimea will be liberated in a different and much more effective way," he declared.
Crimea was seized by Russian soldiers in 2014. That led to sanctions against Russia and was denounced as unlawful on a global scale.
On Sunday, Russians are celebrating Navy Day, a national holiday that has been observed each year. Vladimir Putin, the president, is directing activities in St. Petersburg, where he was born.
The governor of Sevastopol stated in a Telegram message that "an unidentified item flew into the courtyard of the [Black Sea] Fleet headquarters" and that "preliminary data indicate that it was a drone."
He accused "Ukronazis," claiming that none of the six injured Fleet HQ staff members were slain.
As part of its propaganda campaign to support its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russia has frequently called Ukrainian officials "Nazis."
Governor Razvozhayev shared a photo of himself in a courtyard covered with leaves, although there was no evident structural damage. He claimed that safety concerns had forced the cancellation of the Navy Day festivities.
The Black Sea Fleet already suffered a setback in April when its flagship Moskva sunk following what Ukraine claimed was an attack with two Neptune missiles.
Without attributing it to a Ukrainian strike, Russia acknowledged that a large fire was started on board by bursting munitions and claimed the missile cruiser drowned in a storm while being towed.
How many Russian seamen were killed or wounded when the ship sank is still unknown.
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was struck once more by Russian missiles in the north, according to mayor Igor Terekhov on Telegram. He said that the main building of a school there was destroyed by three Russian S-300 missile strikes.
The most recent reports were not independently corroborated by the BBC.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky ordered all residents who were still residing in the eastern Donetsk area that was under Ukrainian authority to leave in a late-night speech on Saturday.
Heavy fighting has taken place in the area as Russian forces, who already own a significant portion of it, approach slowly.
The more people that leave the Donetsk region right once, the less time the Russian army will have to kill civilians, according to Mr. Zelensky. "We will take advantage of every opportunity to save as many lives as we can and lessen Russian terror as much as we can."
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