Ukraine’s military says it has destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in the southern city of Nova Kakhovka, killing dozens of soldiers, in an attack apparently involving US-supplied Himars missiles.

However, Russian occupation officials say homes and warehouses were hit, leaving five dead and up to 80 wounded.

It was not possible to verify the extent of damage or casualties.

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Unconfirmed footage of several powerful explosions was shared on social media.

Ukrainian presidential aide Mikhaylo Podolyak attributed the attack to the US-supplied Himars multiple rocket launcher and spoke of a “reality collision” for the world’s “second army”.

Himars is far more accurate than Russia’s equivalent systems and is already being credited with a string of recent attacks deep into Russian-held territory.

Large areas of the southern Kherson region were seized by the Russians in the first weeks of the invasion, but Ukrainian forces have launched a counter-offensive while Russia has focused on its military push into Ukrainian territory in the east.

Kyiv has urged residents to leave the area to escape the counter-attack.

Russian-appointed officials made no mention of an arms depot being hit, but said instead that warehouses containing the mineral fertiliser saltpetre had exploded — a claim ridiculed by Ukrainian officials.

Vanguard News