Six dead in artillery blitz on Ukrainian city hours after Kremlin cronies accused Ukraine of targeting Russian city

AT least six people died yesterday in an artillery blitz on the Ukrainian city of Slovyansk.

The strike on shops and homes came hours after three died in the Russian city of Belgorod.

Moscow blamed Ukraine for the attack but Kyiv insisted it was staged by Vladimir Putin loyalists.

Russia alleged Ukrainian cluster munitions targeted a residential area in the city, near the border between the warring nations.

The city is used as a staging post by Russian forces en route to the front.

The governor of Belgorod said blasts hit 39 houses and 11 apartment blocks.

Meanwhile, Russia has seized Lysychansk and is now set to up attacks on Slovyansk and Kramatorsk in the eastern Donbas.

Seizing the two cities would be a big step towards taking complete control of the east of the region.

Lysychansk was the last city in Luhansk under Ukrainian control.