LUGANSK, October 20. /TASS/. Kiev, despite statements claiming concern for residents of the town of Alyoshki in the Kherson Region, who are under a "drone siege," carried out a massive attack on the Alyoshki district, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told TASS.

"Despite statements about alleged concern over the fate of residents under a drone siege in the town of Alyoshki, massive attacks on the Alyoshki district continued, leaving one person dead and five others injured. During daylight hours alone, 733 rounds of cannon and mortar fire and 556 drone strikes by the Ukrainian armed forces were recorded in Alyoshki," he said.

Miroshnik added that Ukrainian drones also hit residential buildings in Tarasovka, Novaya Mayachka, Kostogryzovo, Vinogradov, Podo-Kalinovka, and Privetnoye. "A store was destroyed by fire in Tarasovka, and a building belonging to an agricultural company was also burned in Novaya Mayachka. In Kostogryzovo, Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) bombed a school," the Russian Foreign Ministry official said.

On Monday, Pope Leo XIV held a telephone conversation with Vladimir Zelensky, during which he reminded him of the dire humanitarian situation in Alyoshki in the Kherson Region. The Pope had previously discussed this issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the October 16 phone call, the Kremlin press service reported that the Russian president had provided Pope Leo XIV with a detailed explanation regarding the difficult humanitarian situation in the city of Alyoshki and noted that Kiev bears responsibility for the situation. Putin also supported the Vatican’s intention to help create conditions to ensure the safety of the city’s population and to organize vital supplies.