Three killed, two wounded in Russian attacks on east Ukrainian towns

KYIV: Russian attacks on two towns in Ukraine’s east killed three people and wounded two more, regional authorities said.
An artillery strike on the strategic hub of Pokrovsk hit a residential area and killed two middle-aged men, according to Donetsk regional prosecutors.
Russia has long been pressing on the Pokrovsk front and stepped up its assaults in recent months, getting as close to its outskirts as 8 kilometers (5 miles).
Earlier in the day, Russian guided aerial bombs damaged two unspecified infrastructure facilities in Kostiantynivka, the Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram. One person was killed and two wounded, he added.
Kostiantynivka lies some 12 km from Chasiv Yar, a town on high ground where Ukrainian forces are attempting to stave off Russian westward advances.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians, although thousands have been killed since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It says its strikes on infrastructure are legitimate and aimed at reducing Ukraine’s ability to fight.