By Jaroslav LukivBBC News2 February 2024, 14:21 GMTUpdated 1 hour agoImage source, Kherson regional military administrationImage caption, Beryslav and other Ukrainian towns on the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River have been regularly attacked by Russian troopsFrench President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed the killing of two French aid workers in a Russian strike in Ukraine, denouncing the attack as “cowardly”. “I express my solidarity to all the volunteers who are dedicated to assisting people,” he stated in a post on X. Earlier, Ukrainian officials announced the deaths of two foreign volunteers in the southern town of Beryslav on Thursday. Switzerland’s non-governmental organization HEKS/EPER later revealed that two of its staff members were among the victims. “At approximately 2:30 PM, an attack targeted HEKS/EPER employees during a field assessment, resulting in the tragic loss of two dear colleagues and injuries to others,” the NGO said in a statement condemning the attack. The identities of the victims have not been disclosed. Russia has yet to respond to the reported strike in Beryslav, Kherson region. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of its southwestern neighbor in February 2022, several foreign volunteers have lost their lives in Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities reported that four individuals, including three foreign volunteers, sustained injuries in a “massive” drone attack on the front-line town on the Dnipro River, about 60km (37 miles) northeast of the regional capital Kherson. French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné later stated that three of the injured were also French nationals. Mr. Séjourné added that Russia would be held accountable for its “crimes” and “barbarity”. In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote: “Russian terror knows no boundaries or nationalities.” The brave French aid workers provided assistance to people, and we will always be thankful for their humanity.” Beryslav, Kherson, and other Ukrainian towns on the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River have been frequently targeted by Russian forces from the territory they have seized on the left bank. According to local officials, two people were killed and six others were injured in Russian shelling of the region in the past 24 hours.Video caption, “I will die here”: Evacuation “angels” help front-line town’s last residents flee
