Five killed, three injured as two vehicles hit explosive devices near border in Zhytomyr region

The Zhytomyr regional police said this in a Facebook post seen by Ukrinform.

"On October 31, in forested areas in the north of the region, five people were killed and three others injured after vehicles drove over explosive devices. Preliminary findings indicate that in both cases, local residents entered mined areas after deviating from designated routes," the statement said.

According to police, in the first incident, local residents driving a UAZ vehicle were traveling along the state border to carry out planned logging operations.

"They changed their route and drove beyond warning signs. The vehicle hit an explosive device, causing a blast that killed five men from the local community, aged 19 to 65. Two other men, aged 25 and 40, sustained injuries of varying severity and were hospitalized," police said.

That same day, another explosion occurred in a forested area. Preliminary reports indicate that a 55-year-old and a 32-year-old resident of the Korosten district, transporting timber in a ZIL truck, drove over a mine. The younger man was injured and hospitalized.

Police are investigating all the circumstances of the incidents.

Earlier reports said that 69-year-old man was killed by a Russian mine in the village of Velyka Oleksandrivka, Kherson region.