Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine, Russia trade blame over strike on civilian convoy that killed 23

BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine and Russia on Friday blamed each other for a strike on a convoy of civilian cars in the southern Zaporizhzhia region that killed at least 23.

The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

At least 23 people were killed and 28 others wounded in a missile attack on a humanitarian convoy in the city of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, head of the Zaporizhzhia regional administration Olexandr Starukh said.

The attack targeted civilian cars that were waiting in a line to head from the city to Russian-held territory in Zaporizhzhia province, Starukh wrote on Telegram. The city, capital of the province, is still controlled by Ukraine.

All those killed in the shelling were civilians, Starukh said, blaming Russia for the attack.

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Vladimir Rogov, a pro-Russia official in the Russian-controlled region of Zaporizhzhia, on Friday accused Ukrainian troops of carrying out the strike.

"23 people killed ... in (a) Ukrainian strike on (a) convoy of cars at (the) exit to (the) liberated part of Zaporizhzhia region," he said on Telegram.

Rogov said the strike is a retaliation against the referendum in favor of Russia.

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Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Friday that over 5.5 million tons of agricultural products have been exported from Ukrainian seaports since the beginning of the implementation of the United Nations-brokered "grain initiative."

The government-run Ukrinform news agency cited Kubrakov's remarks made in a TV program. The minister said a total of about 250 ships with food have left Odesa's ports to deliver grain to African countries.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Switzerland to increase its support for Ukraine and block Russian assets, Ukrinform reported on Friday.

Zelensky made the remarks during a conversation with the university community and public figures of Switzerland, the report quoted the president's press service as saying.