The Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Nova Kakhovka is under "severe artillery fire" by Ukrainian forces, the local Russian-backed administration said on Telegram Saturday.
Shelling has left the town without power, the Russian-installed officials claimed, citing emergency services.
The officials' statement urged residents to stay in shelters. Work to repair the damage and restore power "will begin immediately after the end of the shelling," it said.
On Thursday: Nova Kakhovka reportedly saw heavy explosions that left the city without power supply, according to the Russian-installed administration. CNN was unable to confirm what targets might have been struck.
Why the town is important: Nova Kakhova is home to an important hydroelectric project on the Dnipro River.
Back in November 2022, Vladimir Leontie, a Russian-installed official in Nova Kakhovka, alleged on Russian state TV that the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant had received "enormous" damage as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces, with repairs to take at least a year. Pro-Russian officials claimed the evacuation of civilians and the retreat of Russian troops from the west bank to the east bank of Dnipro River was due to the threat of flooding that could occur from plant.
CNN's Tim Lister contributed reporting to this post.